The Universe of All Reality
by Metal4k
Summary: Where does all evil come from? Where does it originate? - Katherine Shepard has defeated the Reapers but, a much deadlier foe is beginning to surface. With the help of John 117, they will find out the truth behind everything, and will learn their success in finding The Five will determine the fate of all Reality, but Evil has plans of its own...
1. Prologue

"What happens when we find something out there... Worse than the flood?... What happens when all of our advancements fail? When our ability to travel instantaneously between Galaxies, our ability to destroy solar systems with a ship or two, our ability to evolve and create planets and solar systems by God even galaxies, what happens when all of this is proven useless?" - Doctor Catherine Halsey to Admiral Pargonsky

**Prologue**

**10 years ago, Earth, The End of the Reaper War.**

Katherine Shepard walked onto a long bridge. She looked ahead. Three beams of light were at the end of the bridge. A white beam of light racing down the middle of the Citadel. To its left a red light over two power conductors. To its right a blue light with two more power conductors.

She limped forward holding her side, blood slowly dripping from it. Her long red hair matted and a mess as it dropped around her shoulders down to the curve in her back. Her armor was burnt and smoldering, falling apart bit by bit.

She coughed and noticed the blood on her hand. She groaned. She had to complete her mission. She had to stop the Reapers.

It felt like hours as she limped forward towards the lights. She could only wonder what each one meant..

Suddenly a light appeared before her blinding her for only the briefest of seconds. A hologram appeared, a hologram of a young boy. The hologram looked at her. He seemed to be studying her.

Shepard raised her pistol at him, ready to fire at any moment.

"Katherine Shepard. Species Human. Greetings. I am the Catalyst." The holograms voice was high pitched like a child's yet cold and emotionless like a machine. Shepard stared at him wondering what to say. Finally she thought of something.

"The Catalyst?"

"Yes. I am the leader of the Reapers so to speak. I control them. I control the cycles." His voice was hollow. Shepard slightly shivered.

"Your a monster... Why do you do this? What have we ever done to you?" Shepard hissed.

"You? Nothing. Simply put organics are the Galaxies biggest threat. All you do is fight and cause strife. The cycle is the solution to that. The Reapers are the solution." The Catalyst turned away from her and began walking towards the central beam of light. Shepard slowly limped after him sensing that he wanted her to follow.

"We can change." She replied sternly.

"Maybe. Well..." The Catalyst stopped in its tracks. It turned back towards Shepard. She stopped and looked down at it.

"The fact that you are here Commander shows that organics have changed. No one had ever made it this far. If you can make it here... Maybe organics can change." Shepard could here the change in the Catalysts voice. It seemed almost hopeful.

"Still though." The Catalyst continued and turned back towards the light. "The cycle keeps you in check. Its my solution. If you win but don't change, my solution will be gone and then what?" His voice was cold again.

"We'll keep on trying. How do you know if you don't give us a chance?" Shepard's voice was confident. The Catalyst turned back to her.

"I will give you three choices Shepard. One you can destroy us and all synthetics, bringing peace to the galaxy but know that peace will not last. Two you can control us. Your body will be destroyed and you will never see those you love again, but you will control the Reapers. Or three. You can synthesize organics and synthetics. You can merge them into one being. The final stage of evolution. These are your choices. You should hurry though, I will not wait forever." The Catalysts eyes were still. Shepard gritted her teeth. She quickly thought about each decision. Each one had its repercussions. She thought of it then. A way out.

"I chose none." Shepard straightened her stance as much as she could.

"None?" The Catalyst looked done. His eyes flashed red for only the briefest of moments.

"No... That's... Wait you can't chose none. Protocol overwritten. Commander Katherine Shepard has passed the test. Congratulations commander." The Catalyst turned away and walked toward the beam on the right.

Shepard stared at him baffled. She was completely lost.

"Wait what?" She asked confused. The Catalyst ignored her and continued towards the pillar of light. Shepard limped after him as fast as she could.

"What are you talking about? What test?" She asked frantically. She felt the pain in her body increase rapidly. She knew her body couldn't take much more activity.

"As the eons have passed Organics have constantly showed us that they were plauged. Unable to break free of the cycle. Unable to change. However you choose differently. I was always expected for one of the choices to be chosen, but you answered differently... You showed that Organics can change. You have broken the cycle."

Shepard mulled it over. She wasn't sure what to think.

"This is to easy..."

"Of course it is, but rejoice for now the Galaxy is free." _For now... _The Catalyst walked over to the red beam of light.

"And now the reapers fall." _But another will rise... one that defeated the people of old..._He destroyed the power conducted. The red light flashed and the Crucible fired. In the blink of an eye all the Reapers were wiped from existence.

**Present day. Citadel.**

Katherine walked into the Citadel. It had been ten years since the fall of the Reapers. She was the main guest at a ball celebrating the Galaxies victory, held on an annual anniversary. It disgusted her. Here she was dancing and celebrating while dozens of systems were still trying to rebuild and clean up the mess left from the war. At first she had refused to come but after much persuasion from Admiral Hacket and Anderson she finally gave in. They explained to her that if the Galaxy were to see its hero, to see her, celebrating the defeat of the Reapers it would prove a great morale boost. She didn't see how but she decided to go along with it. Not like she had much choice. After the war she had been on dozens of diplomatic and spectre missions. She was tired of traveling. To make things worse for her almost all her friends had left the Normandy. Only Joker, Samantha Traynor, and Legion remained from her old team. Garrus had left to Palaven to deal with all the unrest. Liara had gone back to Thessia to find her family, Shepard hadn't heard from her in months. Wrex and Wreav had gone back to the Krogan and were settling a clan dispute. The others she had no clue. All she knew was that they had all left around a year ago and Shepard had never been lonelier in her life.

Katherine walked down the hall staring at herself in the glass. Her red hair was curled and shorter only reaching down an inch below her shoulders. Her face was clean and perfect. Her posture was soft yet commanding. Her eyes were a lively green accented by her black eye shadow. Her blue dress was wavy, and accented the natural curves on her body. She didn't care to much for dresses though. She continued walking, all the way to the elevator, getting saluted by two guards on the way. She pressed a few bottoms in the elevator. The elevator jerked to life and shot upward. The outdoor ballroom was towards the top of the Citadel.

Shepard was glad she was alone in the elevator. She didn't feel like talking to people. Ever since her crew had left she had become more and more confined as the time had went on. Now she even considered herself a depressed loner.

Minutes passed and finally the elevator dinged, signaling her arrival at the ballroom. Shepard straightened herself and put on a charming smile, one that could win the attention of any person she wanted. The doors opened and she walked out.

Shepard couldn't help but gaze at the ballroom. Despite being here eight times before, having missed one year due to the flu, she couldn't help be feel amazed at the sight.

The night sky and stars above were dazzling with their different colors and sheer numbers. The Citadels ceiling replicated the sight perfectly. Golden lights spread around providing light for the party. The grass, flowers and trees were alive and abundant. A marble dance floor with a fountain in the middle took up at least three fourths of the area. Tables with white and gold table cloth surrounding the dance floor. Dozens of dozens of people danced on the dance floor, a live jazz band nearby ripping it up. Dozens of others were sitting at the tables lounging around and conversing care free with one another. Dozens of bus boys frantically yet elegantly moved about trying to fill the orders of all the tables. At the largest table, right next to the marble dance floor, sat the council and a few Admirals including Admiral Hackett. Shepard slowly made her way over to the table. She could see a piece of paper with the words clearly written on it Reserved: Commander Katherine Shepard. She passed several dancing Asaris and Turians, almost bumping into a female Krogan before making it to the large table. As she walked over next to the chair, the new Asari Councilor, Lithyia, spotted her. She was a jolly and passionate Asari. Warm and friendly unlike the councilor before her.

"Shepard! So glad you made it!" The councilor greeted loudly.

"Glad I could make it." Shepard replied with a warm whole hearted lie.

The councilor stood up and moved over to her embracing Shepard in a long hug. Shepard returned the hug but quickly pulled away.

"Greetings commander." Exodus, the new Geth councilor, greeted.

"Exodus." Shepard said with a polite nod. The others around the table greeted her kindly and warmly telling her to take a seat and order all sorts of different dishes the councilors found tasty. Once the greetings were over the table returned to the topic it had been discussing. Shepard listened in only partially to the conversation about the Krogans and Turians relations. Apparently the two were getting along quite nicely. Their urge to be the best and strongest almost uniting the two races. Shepard was just glad they weren't ripping each other apart. She looked around and noticed Ashley Williams dancing. She wore a tight black dress one that showed her off and matched her black her. Her hair was straight and she danced with an Alliance officer. Shepard smiled. She was relived to she Ashley hadn't changed. She was still teasing guys.

Suddenly a hand placed itself on her shoulder. Shepard had to resist the urge to attack whoever it was for startling her, she turned around and looked up at the new company.

"Nice to see you Shepard, but if I didn't know you better I'd say you'd want to hit me for startling you." Garrus smirked. He was wearing the Turians version of formal attire. Shepard rolled her eyes.

"If I didn't know you better I'd say your trying to scare me." Shepard said glaring up at him.

"Yes if you didn't know me better. Too bad you know me better." Garrus grinned. Shepard chuckled and looked back at the table. The occupants were now engaged in a conversation about galactic taxes and the economy.

"Wanna get out of here and hit the purgatory?" Garrus whispered into her ear. Shepard quickly looked around. She figured no one would notice she was gone. Shepard quickly slid out of her seat.

"Lets go." She grabbed Garrus by the arm and pulled him away from the table. They zig zagged through the crowd of people dancing, bumping into several people.

"How've you been Shepard?" Garrus asked over the music. A Krogan bumped into him almost knocking him over. Shepard grabbed him and pulled him away before he could do anything about it.

"Fine." She lied.

"Sounds interesting. You know if..." Garrus froze. Shepard looked back at him wondering why he had stopped talking. He was standing still, not even breathing.

"Garrus?" Shepard asked getting closer to him, that's when she noticed it. He wasn't the only one frozen. Everyone was still. The music had stopped. Not a person breathed or moved besides herself. Shepard took a step forward. The lights suddenly went out. She stayed still until her eyes adjusted to the starlight. She looked around and saw everyone was still frozen. A chill ran up her spine.

"Hello?" She said spinning around. She could've swore she saw a shadow dash away. She reached under her dress and pulled out a side arm. She had learned years earlier never to go anywhere unarmed. She slowed her breath and scanned the area around her. She held her side arm close to her body, her finger hovering over the trigger.

"Anyone?" She called out again as she started moving through the crowd. She heard a swish of the air behind her. She spun around once more to find nothing. Sweat was beginning to form on her forehead. She waited a few seconds listening for the slightest sound of any movement. She relaxed and took another step forward.

"Hahahahahah..." A voice chuckled behind her. It was dark and deep. Unfriendly in every possible way. Cold as ice, and as hollow as a cathedral. She almost couldn't even comprehend the magnitude feel the chill. Her hairs stood up, her heart raced, her head throbbed, cold sweat began to race down her back like a wild river. Her breath shook as she spun around and raised her weapon. Again nothing.

"Who's there?" She yelled, trying to be frightening. It back fired as her voice only shook. She had literally never been so unnerved. The voice had been so soulless and evil.

"I? I am the consequence to all your sins." She heard the voice from behind her. She held her breath and spun around again. A wall of shadow and darkness stood before her. She trembled at the sight. She couldn't see through it. She couldn't even see how far it stretched. Two red eyes, pure red, almost neon like stuck out. The eyes weren't human, Shepard knew that for sure. She noticed Ashley Williams was at the edge of the darkness, the man she was with was engulfed by the darkness. Ashley was still and bent backwards as if to be dipped.

"What do you what?" Shepard snapped, a sliver of her confidence returning.

"I? I simply want destiny to be fulfilled. For my Kin to do what they were meant to do." The voice replied.

"And what exactly is that?" Shepard asked with a cracked voice of steel. She was slowly regaining her courage.

"Haha you think you can stop me? You cannot! You are weak. Useless. When they don't need you they will throw you away. You are expendable." Two arms, skinny and pure black, set in a variety if odd angles, with knife like fingers, reached out for her. For some reason Shepard stayed put. She knew she had to brave. she couldn't cower, not now.

She felt the finger touch the bare skin of her chest and neck.

"Human of course." The voice replied. A small grin began to form at the tip of Shepard's lips. With that statement she realized the voice could not see her. Only sense her. She was happy to have at least one advantage.

"And who are they?" She asked returning to the voices earlier statement. The fingers pressed harder into her skin. She tried to push them away but her body merely moved through the fingers like they were air, as if they weren't even there, yet Shepard could feel them on her. She stepped back away from them.

"Your so called leaders. You can do nothing Katherine."

Shepard felt her heart drop. Not may people knew her first name.

"Ahh Ashley Williams. A friend of yours no doubt?" The arms suddenly moved over to Ashley.

"Don't touch her." Katherine snapped pointing her gun into the darkness.

"And what will you do about it if I do?" One of the fingers reached out and touched the top of Ashley's chest. Shepard noticed the finger began to press on her chest.

"This." She pulled the trigger of her side arm only to find that now she couldn't move. Her heart began to race as the finger on Ashley broke her skin. Blood began to drip out onto Ashley's chest from where the finger was, and still the finger didn't stop.

"Hahahahaha you are very weak commander. I'm not sure why they even thought you were a threat to me. Eons of planning and you are weaker than any I've ever faced." The finger pressed through, its knife like shape slipping right through Ashley's chest.

"Noo!" Shepard screamed at the top of her lungs. Her voice was raspy, and cracked from the power behind it. She heard the breaking of bones.

"Ahh wait there are two..." The voice suddenly mumbled.

"Two what?!" Shepard yelled.

"Nothing you need to worry about. You only need to worry about Ms. WIlliams. Can't you help her Shepard?" The voice mocked.

The finger of darkness reappeared, sliding out of Ashley back. Blood began to pour from her back forming a small pool on the ground. The finger pulled out, blood dripping from it.

"Now lets see how fast they turn on you." The voice chuckled.

Suddenly the darkness was gone, the lights were back on and everyone unfroze. Shepard screamed. Ashley fell to floor gasping for air, tears rushing from her checks as she stared at the hole in her chest. Music filled the air, then people noticed.

"Get a doctor!" A man yelled as a woman shrieked.

"She has a gun!" A woman screamed referring to Shepard.

And as Shepard watched one of her closest friends suffer, she felt her world fall apart as cuffs slipped around her wrists.

"Had we ever found him we might have stood a chance." Admiral Lord Hood during the battle of the Andromeda Galaxy.

**A/N well hey! Hope you enjoyed! Interesting little chapter don't you think? Well ****Review****! Also Check out my other story ****The End of Times****! Thanks for reading! God Bless you all!**


	2. AN update

hey guys just posting a quick A/N so I can clear up some issues!

Now the biggest issue is that this has some resemblance to the story For thy mantle:Reloaded

when I started writing this story I was afraid this would happen but let me a sure you guys that this is NOT another version of thy mantle reloaded.

The only two similarities are Shepard being in trouble and the Reclaimers being able to travel across galaxies (if that's what they can do in for thy mantle)

the enemy will be completely different as will the set of events occurring much different. And for those worrying about how the ME verse will stand a chance this isn't really going to be about them... This is more of Shepard/Chief going on a psychotic solo mission to save everyone. You'll understand when everything unfolds.

if you have any questions feel free to PM me!


	3. Part I Chapter 1

**Part I**

** The Voice and Face of all Evil.**

**Chapter 1: Prisoner**

**A week after the ballroom incident.**

Katherine slammed her body into the metal door of her cell. She panted trying to catch her breath as she stepped back from the door. She backed up to the wall on the opposite side of the cell. She charged straight forward at the door, ramming her shoulder into it.

"Let me out!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. Her voice was strained. Someone pounded on the door from the outside.

"Shut up!" A rough male voice yelled from the other side.

"I didnt do anything though!" Shepard coughed.

"Tell that to Ms. Williams!" Another voice yelled back. Shepard groaned and pounded her fist on the door a few times before sliding to the floor. She panted trying to regain her breath. It was amazing what a week without food and sleep could do to a person. Her eyes had dark circles around them, her face was pale, her stomach let out unnatural grumbles, and her strength was fading. She had used the last of it in a feeble attempt to escape her cell.

Shepard dragged herself to a wall and leaned against it. She didn't even bother trying to sleep. Every time she had tried she had been awoken with a shock from the bracelet she was wearing. She tugged at the bracelet. It was C-Secs new way of basically torturing prisoners.

She let out a cough and let her mind wander. The darkness with the eyes. She could never forget that. She wanted to tell people. She wanted to warn the Galaxy. She needed to, but of course she was hear locked up, like a common criminal. She hated her luck.

She glanced around her cell. Just a block of metal with a single light in it. Not even a bathroom. She didn't even want to look in the corner where she had done her 'business'. She had become accustomed to the stench. She wondered when they would let her out or even open the door.

Her thoughts were answered by the door suddenly sliding open. Shepard covered her eyes and looked up at whoever it was.

"So this is how C-Sec treats its prisoners? No wonder why people call you inhumane." A female voice said accusingly.

Liara walked through the door opening and over to Shepard. She kneeled in front of Shepard.

"Hey Liara." Shepard greeted with a weak smile.

"By the spirits what have you done to her." Another voice scolded. Shepard looked past Liara and spotted Garrus stepping into the cell. Garrus held a pair of clothes. Nothing fancy just jeans and a black t shirt. He looked at Shepard's clothing disgustedly. She was wearing gray sweats that were old, torn and stained with various liquids. Shepard had received them like this. For the past weak she had been wishing for a pair of decent clothes.

Garrus handed the clothes to Shepard.

"Not the best but it was the most we could do." He stated.

"Thanks." Shepard said gratefully.

"Well let you get dressed then we have to go." Liara said standing up.

"Am I free?" Shepard asked already knowing the answer. Both of her friends shook their heads.

"You have a court date." Garrus replied with a hint of regret. Shepard nodded. She knew it had been only a matter of time till they had set up a trial for her.

"Sorry Shepard. It was hard enough getting us to be the ones to escort you. I don't know if we can get you free, but we'll try our best." Liara said walking out of the cell.

"Sorry Friend" Garrus said walking out. The door slid shut. Shepard sighed. She slowly pulled herself to her feet and changed into the new clothes.

_  


Shepard devoured the small burger. She chewed like a mad man making moans of pleasure from the sweet taste. She had never tasted anything so good. She noticed a lot of people walking by her giving her nervous glances but she didn't care. All she cared about at the moment was the food in her hands. Garrus chuckled off to her side.

"What's so funny?!" Sheaprd hissed with her mouth full. Liara giggled.

"I think he's laughing at you." She replied.

"I had no idea." Shepard said taking another bite of the burger.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say your part Krogan. You sure eat like one" Garrus laughed.

"Shut up." Shepard snapped. Her two friends just laughed. Shepard let herself smile for the briefest moment. If she wasn't on her way to a trial, to be accused of a crime she didn't commit, she might've thought this moment was one of the happiest she had. She though it was sad. She wished she had more memories to call on. More to make her happy, or to at least remind her what happiness felt like.

She looked to her left out towards the city like part of the Citadel, where buildings towered up into space. She hadn't visited this part of the Citadel in a long time. She noticed several guards in full armor walking towards them. She wondered how close they were to the court room.

The guards stopped in front of her group.

"What are doing?" Liara asked baffled. Shepard glared at the guards. Apparently this was not supposed to happen.

"Councilors orders. We are to escort Shepard the remainder of the way." The lead guard said straightening himself up.

"We were given permission to escort Shepard." Garrus stated sternly.

"Well your permission has been over ridden." Another guard replied. He clicked in a few commands on his omni tool. Garrus looked at his. He glared back up at the guards then turned away. Liara looked back at Shepard with apologetic eyes before stepping out of the way. Shepard gulped. She stepped forward. One of the guards grabbed her arm and yanked her forward. Garrus stepped forward as if to intervene. Liara stepped in front of him and shook her head.

Another guard grabbed Shepards burger and tossed it.

"Hey!" Liara snapped. This time Garrus stopped her from doing anything stupid.

Shepard glared at the guard holding her and shrugged him off.

"This way." A third guard said with less hostility. He walked off in the same direction Shepard and the others had already been going. With much reluctance Shepard followed. She noticed Garrus and Liara following her and the guards. They walked through a series of corridors and hallways before reaching the courtroom. Two large doors slid open to allow the group to enter. Shepard looked back for friends. They were no where to be found. She turned back towards the courtroom chambers.

Shepard covered her eyes as they entered. The room was massive, at least a hundred feet tall and two hundred feet in diameter. Large white lights illuminated the space. Rows upon rows of cushioned wooden seats lined the circular room. Dozens of people were sitting down, watching her walk into the chamber. She studied their faces. Most seem confused or even sad for her. Others looked at her with disgust.

Shepard looked away from the people. She fixed her gaze towards the center of the chamber. A lone chair sat in the middle. A long table sat a few feet in front of it. There sat the Council. Her heart dropped. If the council was involved then she really was in trouble. She studied their faces trying to determine how her trial would go. Like the crowd a few looked genuinely sad to be there while others looked at her with disgust, except for Exodus. She couldn't read whatever the Geth thought just off of its facial expression.

The guards lead her to the lone chair. She sat down already knowing what was expected of her. Two guards chained her wrists and legs to the chair. They moved away and the New Salarian Councilor named Trudeth, stood up. She was skinny and old. She cleared her throat and looked straight at Shepard.

"Commander Katherine Shepard you are being charged with attempted murder and Assault of Lieutenant Commander Ashley Williams. How do you plead?" The councilors voice was cold as ice.

"Innocent!" Shepard yelled a bit to loudly. A few murmurs rose up from the crowd.

"She shot someone!" Some man yelled out from the crowd. Shepard ignored the comment. She took a deep breath and tried to relax.

"Well seeing as there were dozens of witnesses..." Trudeth started to speak but was interrupted by Shepard.

"Witnesses to what? I never shot her!" She snapped. Trudeth blinked a few times, clearly taken by surprise by her retaliation.

"Then how do you explain her injuries? You were right next to her and had a weapon in you." Trudeth stated.

"A fully loaded weapon." Shepard stated.

"She admits!" The Quarian councilor yelled standing up.

"What! No! My weapon was not missing a single shot! I had full ammo!" Shepard yelled back. The crowd began to murmur again. Shepard looked around. People were looking at her as if she was crazy. Maybe she was.

"What does the crowd think of this matter?" Trudeth asked raising her arms. The crowd grew quiet.

"Guilty!"

"Traitor!"

"She saved us!"

"Innocent!"

"Murderer!"

"She guilty!"

The crowds cries became rampant. Shepard could no longer make out what they were saying by the time Trudeth and the other councilors tried to quiet them down. It took several minutes for the crowd to become silent once again.

"Commander Shepard you are herby sentenced as guilty of all charges. You may now face your accuser." Trudeth turned to her right. Shepard was speechless. She wasn't surprised though. Ashley Williams walked up to the Councils table. Shepard had no idea where she had come from. She could see the bandages on Ashley's chest. The two locked eyes. Shepard could see the anger in her eyes.

"Ashley it wasn't me." Shepard pleaded. Ashley didn't say a word. She looked away from Shepard and at the Councilors.

"What will be her sentence?" Ashley asked her voice breaking slightly. No matter how hard it was to believe she hated thinking Shepard had tried to kill her.

"She will be inprisoned indefinitely." The Quarian councilor stated.

"You've got to be kidding me! You have no proof" Shepard roared.

"She's right and besides the Council has not voted on her sentence!" The human councilor named Jeffery, said speaking up.

"You want proof?" Trudeth hissed. All the councilors besides herself and the Quarians councilor nodded.

"Fine. Archer pulled up the video feed." Trudeth said with a wave of her hand.

"Archer?" Shepard asked. A hologram appeared in front if the councilors. Shepard looked at the hologram.

"He's a VI. We made him a few years back to help us keep track of all council affairs." Exodus responded looking up at Shepard.

Katherine didn't even pay attention to the Geths explanation. She looked at the VI with bewilderment. She had seen this VI before. No it was no VI. It was an AI. An AI that had basically been the bane of Shepard's existence years ago. She had seen this AI ten years ago aboard the Citadel. The Catalyst. She had figured it had been destroyed along with all the other Reapers.

The hologram of the small boy stared up at her.

"Yes mam." The Catalyst or Archer spoke, never looking away from Shepard.

"You..." Shepard mumbled. The Catalyst smiled. He turned away from her and lifted his hand. A video box appeared above his hand and showed video feed of the ball. Shepard noticed how the video never showed the wall of darkness. It showed her laying on the ground with her pistol drawn, pointing it right at Ashley whom was laying on the ground with blood running from her chest. The video stopped and the Catalyst dropped his hand.

"As you can see the evidence shows Shepard even aiming at Ms. Williams." Trudeth stated turning back around to Shepard. The others stayed quiet.

"Do wish for me to show the video again?" The Catalyst asked. Trudeth waved him off.

"No! He's the Catalyst!" Shepard cried. The Councilors looked up at her. Most of them had read her report about what had transpired on the Citadel.

"That's impossible." Trudeth stated.

"No its him. I would never forget that face." Shepard hissed looking at the hologram.

"Mam what is the Catalyst?" Archer asked looking at the councilors.

"Archer you are dismissed. We will discuss this later." Trudeth said nervously.

"Ye... No." The Catalyst said speaking up. Shepard saw his eyes flicker red. She began to struggle in her restraints. She had to get free.

"Excuse me?" Trudeth said offended. The Catalyst laughed loudly.

"I am what you call the Catalyst. The Catalyst was my basic function, my function only meant to awaken my brethren when a threat capable of defeating us arose once again." The Catalyst looked back at Shepard.

"I order you to shut down now!" Trudeth yelled. The Catalyst let out a menacing laugh.

"Foolish Salarian. I do not take orders from you. Now overwrite protocol. Opening bay doors. Open doors for the parasite." The Catalysts color changed to a blood red.

"Have fun Shepard." He smiled and vanished. Suddenly the lights began to flicker on and off. The crowd began to panic. The Catalyst laughed again. Green mist began to seep in through the vents. Shepard saw Ashley draw a side arm. She could tell Ashley was still hurt, her drawing of the weapon was slow and obviously painful. Shepard struggled against her chains even more. Her wrists were beginning to go raw. The crowd was starting to yell and people were shoving each other to get out of the chamber. The lights went off completely, leaving only a few dim yellow emergency lights in their place. Shepard noticed Liara and Garrus jump out from the crowd and into the center of the chamber. Her two friends rushed over to her, each holding a side arm of their own. Garrus reached her first and drew a blade with his omni tool. Shepard wished she had hers with her. She wondered were C-Sec had taken her armor. Garrus swiftly cut the chains holding Shepard to the chair just as Liara was reaching the two. Shepard stood up rubbing her wrists.

"Here." Liara said handing Shepard a side arm.

"Thanks." Shepard said taking the gun. She cocked it back and made sure it was ready to go.

"Hey! Someone arrest them! She is still a criminal!" Trudeth yelled noticing the freed Shepard. Before anyone could respond a thundering deep voice spoke out.

"I am the monument to all your sins." Suddenly a shriek filled the air. In the dim light Shepard could barely make out the figure. It was deformed and pale. It lunged from somewhere within the crowd and landed next to the Salarian Councilor. It grabbed Trudeth by the head, long tentacles wrapping around her head, and it tossed her to the side. Shepard could here the crack of bones as the councilor hit the floor.

"Down!" Shepard yelled at the other councilors. She aimed her weapon at the creature and opened fire. Two shots passed straight through the figure. The figure turned towards Shepard and let out another screech. Shepard heard Garrus and Liara open fire. Several other shots tore through the creature. The creature wasn't even fazed. It charged straight at them. Shepard unloaded her entire clip into the creature. Her last shot hit the creature dead center in its chest. Finally the creature stopped and slumped down to the ground. Shepard heard her friends reload their weapons and asked for a clip from Garrus. While reloading the small group quickly walked over to Ashley and the councilors. Ashley immediately trained her gun on Shepard.

"Councilors we need to get out of here now." Shepard ordered. The remaining councilors looked at her with bewilderment.

Screams filled the air. Blood curdling screams. Shepard turned and looked up into the crowd. She saw several more deformed figures attacking the civilians left in the rows. Red lights suddenly turned on and lite up the room.

"This is C-Sec! evacuation of the Citadel is now in immidiate effect! Repeat the Citadel is... What? No hold it! Open fire men! Op... Gahhhh!" The intercom died away. Shepard quickly looked for an exit. The door in the back, where she guessed the councilors had come from, was green and unlocked.

"This way! Quick!" She yelled. She sprinted as fast as she could which was relatively slow since her body was still recovering from its mistreatment. She could here the shuffling of feet behind her as the other all followed. She heard the wailing of the civilians fading away. She knew she only had moments before the creatures were on them.

She slid to a halt in front of the door and opened it. The Quarian and human councilor managed to make it through. Garrus ran through holding Ashley in his arms. The spectre was groaning in pain. Shepard felt bad for her. She was still too hurt to really put up fight. It was a miracle she was even standing.

Liara ran through next with the Geth councilor. Lithyia and the Turian councilor were feet away when several figures leaped out from the rows of dead civilians and tackled Lithyia.

"No!" Shepard yelled. She opened fire at the creatures. The Truain councilor looked at the door then back at the Asari councilor, whom had managed to push the creatures off of her with a biotic blast. The councilor drew a side arm and shot one of the figures dead center, killing it instantly. He rushed forward and tackled the other figure.

"Go!" He yelled. Lithyia took a step towards him before a hand wrapped around her arm. Shepard pulled her towards the door shooting at several other creatures. She pushed Lithyia through the doorway and turned around. The Turian councilor was on his feet with a blade drawn. He looked back at Shepard.

"I'll be fine." He lied with a smile.

"Thank you." Shepard replied sadly. Several figures let out several more screeches. The Turian nodded. Shepard quickly dashed through the doorway and sealed the door.

_

Shepard looked around the corner. Nothing. A black hallway with flickering lights and dozens of dead bodies. She activated her flashlight. The hallways were getting darker and darker the closer they got to the hangar bay. She shivered slightly at the sight. They had been moving for at least ten minutes and all they had found was destruction and carnage. She wasn't sure if it was a good or bad thing.

"How did these things manage to tear through our defenses so fast?" Garrus asked walking up behind her.

"I don't know. But we have to get out of here." Shepard replied motioning for the councilors and Liara to move up and follow her. She was hoping the Normandy was still docked.

Liara was carrying an unconscious Ashley. Her and Garrus were taking turns carrying her. They weren't going to leave their old friend behind even if she had tried to inprison Shepard.

Shepard swiftly yet quietly moved through the hallway. She watched each doorway carefully. The doors were all locked but from experience she knew not to put it past her enemies to break through the doors and attack them. If she had a full squad of troops with fully battle ready weapons she would check each room but she wasn't so fortunate. She only had Garrus and Liara. The councilors were more of a liability than anything but it wasn't in her nature to just abandon them.

She turned a corner and stared down the next corridor with her side arm raised. Nothing again. She glanced back and saw the other rushings down the hall towards her. She continued on down the new corridor. She noticed movement on the floor. A man. He was struggling. Shepard quickly trained her light on him. He was on his back. Shepard felt her body shiver. A popcorn looking, pale creature, was In bedding itself into the mans chest.

"What the hell..." Shepard mumbled. Before she could react the man roared and lunged at her, somehow managing to get to his feet quicker then Shepard could register. The man swung one of his deformed arms and managed to hit Shepard in the chest. Katherine flew backwards and hit the ground hard. She felt her breath get knocked out and could fell her bones strain from the impact. She stared up at the ceiling trying to breath. She heard Garrus call her name. Several gunshots rang out. She heard the man running at the shooter. Several more weapons opened fire. She wondered who else had fired besides Liara and Garrus. The gun shots died away. Shepard wondered what had transpired. She slowly sat up. Liara was by her side by the time she was up.

"You ok?" Liara asked worriedly.

"Fine." Shepard said pulling herself to her feet. She noticed the body of the deformed man, mullet holes littering his body as he lied on the floor. Liara moved away as Shepard stretched her body. She felt several bones pop back into place. She wondered if she was hurt anywhere else. She looked around and saw Lithyia holding a sidearm. She wondered how long the councilor had had the side arm.

"Always be prepared." Lithyia said grimly. Shepard nodded in agreement. She turned back towards Liara.

"We have to find a way out." Liara said walking a little way down the corridor shooting each dead body a few times in the chest.

"Shepard." Garrus asked. Shepard looked back over her shoulder at him.

"Is the Normandy still docked?" He asked.

"I'm hoping. If you haven't noticed that's where I've been taking us this whole time" She replied looking down the corridor.

"Have you tried contacting them." He asked. Shepard shook her head.

"I need a communicator." She stated.

"Here use mine." Liara said walking back over to the group. Shepard quickly thanked her and activated the communicator. She put it on her ear and moved forward to the end of the corridor, dialing the Normandy's frequency. The group followed. She quickly looked around the corner and saw two hallways. One to her left and the other to her right. She wondered which way went to the hangar bay. She looked at the wall and saw arrows pointing each way, the left leading to the docking bay, the other leading towards the presidium commons. Shepard stepped around the coroner and began to make her way down the left.

"Hello?" Someone asked over the comm.

"EDI?" Shepard asked quietly as she stepped over a dead body. She could here the group close behind her.

"Shepard! I was worried when I heard of your accusations. I'm sure you didn't do anything you were accused of. At least not on purpose." EDI replied. Shepard let out a half hearted chuckled.

"EDI is the Normandy still docked on the Citadel?" She asked as the group turned another corner and slowly made their way down several flights of stairs.

"No Shepard the moment we received reports of the parasite we fled into space. We are currently in orbit."

"Parasite?" Shepard asked confused. Garrus and Liara both looked at her curiously.

"Yes. These creatures are parasitic in nature feeding off their hosts to survive. As of right now Citadel forces only control about twenty two percent of the station. The part of the station you're in is completely infested. I recommend getting out of there as quickly as possible." EDI informed.

Shepard cursed under her breathed. It had been maybe half an hour and already the Citadel was almost completely taken over. She couldn't believe how fast the parasite spread. She remembered the Catalyst. She wondered if this was his new solution. She swore to herself the next time she saw him she would kill him. The Galaxy would be better off without him.

"EDI I have the councilors and Ashley Williams. Williams is injured and we're not far from the Normandy's normal docking station. Is it possible for you to dock the ship?" Shepard asked as the group swiftly moved down another hallway. She was beginning to recognize the area.

"I can land Shepard but with a ninety eight percent risk of letting the parasite on board, well according to EDI. However if you are able to somehow wipe the area of them then I could swing the ship in and get you guys." Joker said over the comm.

"Alright I'll let you know when were ready." Shepard said over the comm. She was happy to here from her friend again but pleasantries could be saved for later.

Shepard turned another corner and saw the docking area. She stopped dead in her tracks and backed up into the hallway she had come from. Only problem was there were dozens of creatures wandering around the area. Shepard cursed again under her breath. She turned back to Garrus and Liara, and quickly explained the situation. Garrus looked around the corner after resting Ashley on the ground.

"Well this is a problem." He muttered disheartened.

"What's wrong?" The human councilor asked.

"Well the Normandy's still in orbit but those creatures have over run the docking area, and the only way the Normandy can dock is if we can clear the area." Shepard explained.

"Damn..." The man sighed.

"No kidding." Garrus replied.

"Hold on..." Lithyia said walking over to the corner. She glanced around and it and turned back to Shepard and the others.

"Well its easy. All you have to do is break the glass. The vacuum of space will suck the creatures out." She explained.

"And us with it." Liara stated.

"See that's where your wrong Liara. You and I have the ability to create a biotic force field. If we can hold the fields till all the creatures are sucked out then we can move around freely. See the vacuum of space is created when a hole is made in a pressurized area, allowing the air to escape into space creating a vacuum. So in theory if we manage to hold on till all the air is all gone then we will be ok and can board the Normandy once she's docked." Lithyia looked at them with hopeful eyes.

"Not a bad idea..." Garrus replied with a nod.

"Liara?" Shepard asked.

Liara was looking down. Shepard could tell her mind was racing trying to figure out if it was logical decision.

"Well it could work. In theory of course. Only real problem is how do we breath once all the air is sucked out " Liara said looking back up at the others.

"The Citadel has emergency systems in place in case anything like what you are talking about ever occurred. The systems should kick in, close off the broken window and refill the space with air about thirty seconds after the glass is broken." Exodus stated, finally joining the conversation.

"Well its the only chance we've got." Shepard said. She looked around the corner and studied the glass. It was far to thick for their side arms to break it. She had to figure out how to break it.

"Liara could your biotic push weaken that glass enough to the point where our sidearms could shatter it?" Shepard asked looking back at her friend. Liara walked over to her and peered around the corner.

"Well if I charged up the blast enough it is possible it could stretch the glass so to speak, but I can't guarantee it'll be enough to break it." Liara looked at her with unsure eyes.

"Good enough for me." Shepard smiled.

_

Shepard moved silently, Garrus and Liara behind her. She stepped into the docking bay and looked around, Ten creatures were mindlessly wandering about. She was relived they hadn't been spotted yet. She looked at the glass windows, easily another forty feet away. Shepard held her breath and looked back at her two friends. She nodded to them. She turned and bursted into a full sprint, running for the glass windows. She unloaded her clip as she went, dropping two creatures before either could even react. She saw several more fall from the combined fire of Liara and Garrus. She made it to the glass and spun around. She quickly finished her current clip, killing a third creature, and reloaded. Liara moved behind her and focused on the glass.

"I need at least few minutes!" She yelled. The Asari closed her eyes and focused raising her hand stewards the glass.

"Only." Garrus muttered under his breath. He shot several more creatures only managing to kill one. Shepard reloaded another clip. By this time the creatures were fully aware of their presence. four creatures were still alive and charged the two ex-spectres. The two fired as fast as they could. Only a single creature went down. Garrus flipped his side arm in his hand and smacked down another creature before it could grab him. A different creature managed to tackle Shepard to the ground, her body still to weak to move as fast as Garrus. The two rolled on the ground. Shepard stopped the roll when she managed to get on top. The creature snarled at her and grabbed her neck and left arm with its tentacle like arms. Her left arm snapped like a twig, but before the creature could break her neck she fired three shots into its chest with her free arm. The creature shuddered and released her. Shepard coughed and stood up, her left arm dangling uselessly by her side. Garrus was fighting another creature in hand to hand. More creatures had appeared out of nowhere. Two were racing for Garrus. The others were racing for Shepard. Shepard raised her weapon and managed to kill two of the creatures coming for her. A third slammed into her and sent her flying against a wall. Before she could react the creature was on top of her. It stabbed its tentacles into Shepard's right shoulder. Shepard let out a scream and tried kicking the creature off but to no avail. Suddenly a bright blue blast hit the creature on the side. The creature flew off of Shepard and into the wall. Shepard wasted no time and unloaded the remainder of her clip into the creatures chest effectively killing it. Shepard sat up and saw the other creatures whom had been charging her and Garrus were frozen in place. She looked past them and saw Lithyia standing behind them trying to catch her breath.

"Thought you could use some help." She smiled. Shepard got to her feet.

"Thank you, but get back to the others. Take care of them." Shepard replied. Lithyia nodded and ran back towards the hallway where they had come from. Shepard shook her head. She was to rebellious to be a councilor.

"Liara done yet?" Garrus asked as he and Shepard walked back over to her, but not before both of them had shattered the frozen remains of the creatures.

"Almost." Liara mumbled. Screeches filled the air. Garrus and Shepard turned around. At least a dozen more creatures were standing at the other side of the docking area stating straight at them.

"Yeah I don't think almost is a good thing." Garrus relied nervously. The two raised their weapons and fired the last clip they each had. The creatures charged.

"Done!" Liara yelled. She opened her eyes and a biotic shook wave shot forward at the glass. The glass creaked and shook violently. It cracked at the edges. Liara spun around and drew her pistol. She tossed Shepard a clip.

"Now Katherine!" She yelled as she unloaded her pistol at the creatures.

Shepard caught the clip, reloading and turning around at the same time, then aimed. She unloaded her side arm on the glass window. The window cracked and creaked but never broke. She shot the final shot in her clip. The creatures were only feet away from them. Then glass shattered. Shepard felt a pull and heard the whistling of air as the vacuum began to suck everything out of the area.

"Shepard!" Liara yelled as she activated her biotic force field. Shepard hit the edge of the field and fell back to the ground. She looked up and saw Garrus and Liara safely inside the field as well.

"A little too close." Garrus nervously chuckled. The creatures flew out into space, a few hitting the field and bouncing off of it. Debris bounced off the force field and then got sucked into space.

"How much longer?" Liara cried as Shepard got to her feet. She noticed blood starting to drip from Liara's nose.

"Emergency systems should be online in about..." Garrus started. Yellow lights began to flash and a metal window slid down and replaced the broken glass window.

"Now." The Turian chuckled. Liara relaxed and let the field drop as air was pumped back into the room.

"EDI can you come..." Shepard started.

"Already on our way." EDI replied. "ETA two minutes."

"Lithyia! Councilors! Lets go!"

_

**A/N well hey guys! It a little fast paced but I needed to get things rolling. Thank you for reading! Review and god bless!**


	4. Part 1 Chapter 2

**Part I**

**The Voice and Face of all Evil.**

**Chapter Two: the Scientists**

* * *

Katherine Shepard sat up in her bed. She looked up towards her aquarium. The colored fish swam around oblivious to the trauma she had just gone through. Shepard thought about what it would be like to be an animal. She wouldn't have to worry about all the things she worried about. To her, it was a curse and a blessing to be intelligent.

Shepard finally got up. She stretched her muscles, except for her left arm which was set in a sling, her arm was fine but at the doctors request she had to were a sling to let the arm rest after being broken. She let out a yawn. She ran her free hand through her hair and looked over at the clock on her night stand. She had been asleep for less than an hour. She cursed herself for waking up. She had wanted to sleep the whole ride to earth but her body wasn't letting her. She walked over to her private terminal and opened up her email. She checked through it and after deleting junk mail and replying to message from Wrex, she closed the email. She walked around to her shower and turned the shower on. The water created a soothing sound as it rained on the floor. Shepard undressed herself and walked in. The warm water relaxed her tense muscles. She sighed and leaned against the wall. She couldn't believe the Catalyst was still alive. She gave a grim chuckle. He was a lot smarter than she had originally thought. He had managed to sneak into the Citadel as the Councils personal VI, then again he had hid aboard it for millions years before and no one he found him. Why should this time be any different? Shepard thought he was a clever planner. Sneak into the heart of the Galaxies diplomatic center and wait for the perfect moment to strike. Shepard wondered why he had waited till then. It didn't make sense. He could've killed them all when she was locked up so why didn't he?

Shepard shook the thoughts away and washed herself. The color of blood dripped off her skin. The doctor on the Normandy, Dr. Diaz, had managed to fix her up rather well. Her arm was fixed and set to heal, and her cuts were all cleaned up. For the first time in three years, since she had let the doctor on board, she was glad to have him. Most of the time he was a nuisance despite his medical expertise. Shepard was now glad she hadn't gotten rid of him earlier in the year when the chance had arisen.

She turned off the water and stepped out. She dried herself with a towel and picked out a new set of clothing. She threw the towel on the bed and pulled out a pair of jeans and a polo. The polo was black with the Alliance symbol stitched in right above her heart. She quickly out on some undergarments and her bra before slipping into her new attire. Once she was done she walked over to her armor locker. She looked through the locker till she found what she needed. She had stored an old omni tool, the one she had worn during the Reaper war, inside the locker. For some reason she had never been able to get rid of it and now she was glad she hadn't. She pulled the omni tool out and slid it into her arm. It took a few minutes but she powered it up, ran checks to make sure it was functioning, and set the time and date. She was happy to have the familiar feeling of it on her arm. She heard static on the intercom.

"Shepard, Admiral Hackett is on Vitcom for you." Samantha Traynor stated over the intercom. Shepard walked over to the intercom on her desk and pressed on a button to reply.

"On my way. Tell Lithyia to meet me there." She replied.

"Yes mam." Traynor replied a little to happily.

Shepard shook her head and headed to the door. The door slid open and she walked out to the elevator. She called the elevator and waited. She wondered what Hackett would say to her. Surely he'd already heard about the accusations against her. She wondered if he believed them. That's why she wanted Lithyia there. Having a councilor to back her up in case of the worst was always a good idea, well at least in diplomatic situations.

A ding signaled the elevators arrival and Shepard stepped in. She set the elevator for the command bridge and leaned back as the elevator doors closed and started its descent to the command bridge. Shepard went through all the info stored on the omni tool. Only stuff about the Reapers. What did she expect? It hadn't been updated in almost ten years.

The elevator stopped and the doors slid open. Shepard walked out and was somewhat shocked to see what was happening. Officers were running back and forth. Vigorous amounts of chatter were shooting off all over the place. Garrus was arguing with an officer. Tranynor and Liara were in a heated discussion. Ashley Williams was leaning against the wall watching everything unfold. Shepard was glad her friend was doing ok.

Shepard stepped back as an officer rushed past her and over to Traynor. The officers face was riddled with worry as he told Traynor something. Shepard wondered what had transpired in the two hours she had been asleep. Last thing she knew was that they had taken the Ouarian and Geth councilor home and were headed back to earth before they took Lithyia back to Thessia.

"Hey!" Shepard yelled forcefully. All the commotion stopped at the sound of her voice. Some of the officers looked at each other with frightened expressions. Liara said a farewell to Tranynor and walked over to Shepard.

"I know that look..." Shepard said sadly. Liara tried to give a smile but failed.

"Shepard the Citadels been lost completely..." Liara's voice was sad but Shepard could tell there was something else.

"I figured that would happen..." Shepard replied looking down.

"What else is wrong?" She asked looking back up at Liara. Liara sighed and made her way over to the galaxy map. Shepard followed. She watched as Liara pulled up the outer rim, the Geth and Quarian controlled space.

"As of four hours ago The Quarins and Geth have gone dark. No communication has been received from either group for the hour. But that's not all." Liara zoomed out of the outer rim and moved over to Inner Council space.

"Around the same time The Turians and Krogans have sent urgent messages urging for reinforcements. Their reports consist of the same parasite that attacked the Citadel. Wherever this parasite came from, it must have had inside help. The parasites ships are attacking from within Council controlled space. We haven't been able to pinpoint their point of origin, but what we know is that the ships as weapons they have aren't from any known species. Their ships are also frighteningly stronger then our own." Liara turned back to Shepard.

Katherine could feel all eyes on her. She felt speechless. This parasite was moving faster than even the Reapers. She stared at the Galaxy map. She prayed the Quarians and Geth were ok. She looked back up at Liara.

"Have the System Alliance, Salarians or Asari responded?" She asked with a firm voice.

"Systems Alliance has dedicated the fourth, fifth and six fleet to the Turian War front while the Asari have sent their front fleets to engage the parasite attacking the Krogan. The Salarains are currently strengthening their own borders and have sent ships to watch over the non council space. Batarians have responded and are currently mobilizing their entire war machine." Liara said. Shepard quickly ran over all the possible scenarios. She couldn't figure out how this parasite could've snuck up on them. Shepard looked around at her officers.

"All right everyone back to work. Liara come with me to the Vitcom room. We have a meeting with Admiral Hackett." Shepard stood up fully and walked away from the Galaxy map.

The officers slowly began to move again and were soon rushing around again. Shepard moved through the doors, stood in the scanner, the walked through the tech labs. She opened the door to the war room and walked in, Liara following close behind.

She passed by Garrus, whom was currently talking to an officer,and headed in the vit com room. Lithyia was already there and the two greeted each other warmly. Shepard moved past her and connected the Vitcom to Admiral Hacketts signal. TheAdmiral Appeared as a hologram and looked at the three before speaking.

"Well I can say I am glad you all made it out safely." The Admiral stated. His voice was old still and his appearance was slowing decaying. Shepard briefly wondered how much longer he would be fit to stay as an admiral.

"Admiral." Shepard said saluting.

"Admiral." Lithyia greeted warmly.

"Admiral Hackett." Liara said straightening her posture.

"At ease Shepard." The Admiral said with a smile. Shepard relaxed.

"Admiral I know you've probably heard about the accusations made against me but I can assure you I didn't do anything." Shepard said with a confident voice. Hackett chuckled at her statement.

"Shepard I didn't believe it for a damn second." He replied.

"Thank you sir."

"Your welcome but we have far more pressing matters at hand. I'm sure you have somewhat of an idea of what's been going on?" Hackett said losing his warm demeanor. Shepard and the others nodded.

"We know the basics." Liara stated. The Admiral nodded.

"Tell me what you know." Hackett said. Liara quickly explained. She told the Admiral everything she had told Shepard.

When she was done Hackett spoke again.

"We'll your information is accurate. Now what I can tell you is that Casualties are very high. Not as high as the Reaper war but at the rate they're climbing we'll pass those markers within the next month."

"By the spirits..." Lithyia gasped.

"It gets worse. As it stands the Turians have begun orbital bombardment of one of the infected planets. All of our quarantine measures are proving to be almost useless. Shepard honestly I don't know if we can win. Not without the whole Galaxy again. We need the Quarins and Geth. We need more men." Hackett's voice was drained. Shepard felt shivers run up her spine. She had heard this tone only during the Reaper war. She had hoped never to here it again.

"Its the Reapers all over..."Liara sighed.

"Seems like it..." Hackett stated.

" Now Shepard I have mission for you." He continued turning to the Commander.

"What's the mission?" Shepard asked.

"I need you to check on the Quarians and Geth. Find out what happened to the two. Also there's a scientist team on one of the planets in the Ouarian system. We need those scientists Shepard. They're the alliances top scientists and so far we've heard nothing from their ship escorts. I fear the worst but we have to be sure."

Shepard nodded.

"I'll get it done sir, but we have to take Lithyia back to Thessia."

"What's your current position?" Hackett asked.

"On route to Earth to drop off Councilor Jeffrey"

"Alright I'll send an escort to meet you at the relay. Once you arrive send the councilor over to the ship and quickly head to Thessia. Hurry Shepard every moment counts." Hackett said.

"Sir." Shepard replied. Liara stepped forward.

"Admiral may I ask What System alliance scientists are doing in Quarian controlled space?" Liara asked with obvious curiosity.

"They were studying Prothean ruins. And by ruins I mean a Prothean building buried beneath the surface."

"A temple?" Lithyia said in awe. Shepard could've sworn she was going to faint. She wondered why the Asari was so intrigued, then again it was the Protheans.

"Yes. We kept it a secret. We didn't want everyone knowing what we had discovered. The information was to be shared with The Quarians since the ruins in their home system"

"Liara nodded. After a few moments of silence Hackett spoke again.

"Alright well Commander good luck. Lithyia and Liara good to see you. Hackett out." Hacketts hologram faded away. Shepard nodded to the fading hologram and turned away.

She walked out of the Vitcom room and into the war room.

"Shepard I have a question." Lithyia said walking up behind her. Shepard faced her and replied

"Yes councilor?"

"I know its my duty as the Asari councilor to represent my people and its ideals but if I may could I stay aboard the Normandy? I feel like I'd be of more help here then I would be at home sitting behind a desk." Lithyias voice was full of hope. Shepard took a second to think about her offer. On one hand It would be good to have Lithyia on board. They would have political support and she was actually a decent fighter. On the other hand Lithyia would be in danger whenever they went on missions and Shepard figured her people wouldn't be to fond of their councilor flying around space with a new war brewing.

"Lithyia Im not sure if that's the best idea. Your people might not like one of their leaders running around with a fugitive, not to mention they might feel abandoned if you don't go home. A war is brewing and your people need you." Shepard told her with a soft voice. Lithyias nodded sadly.

"Alright Shepard. Its your ship and ill respect your wishes. However I expect you to keep me updated on everything. Ill try my best to stay in touch." The councilor said with kindness. Shepard was relieved. She felt like she just dodged a bullet.

Lithyia turned away and headed towards the Galaxy map room. Shepard followed.

"I'll make sure you are cleared of all charges in Asari space. You won't be a criminal to us but for the Turians and Quarians and I can't say."

"Thank you councilor." Shepard replied stepping into the galaxy room. The two headed for the elevator.

"Councilor I have a question." Shepard asked following her to elevator. She wanted to spend some time alone with her thoughts. She wanted to relax for a little. She had the uneasy feeling that she wouldn't get a chance to relax for a long while, but before she could go up to her cabin she needed to ask the councilor something.

"Yes?" Lithyia asked looking at her with curiosity.

"Why was my trial public?" Shepard asked. She knew trials weren't supposed to be public, well at least when the Council was the jury, so why was hers different?

"Trudeth thought since you are a public figure, one of great influence, it would be better to have a public trial. She thought it would be better for you if you had the support of the people. Originally she had thought you were innocent... I'm not sure what changed." Lithyias voice was full of confusion.

Shepard wondered why had Trudeths view of her changed? And so quickly too? Shepard felt a chill. She felt another presence in her head. One that was vaguely familiar and cold.

_She was the easiest to fool... Ahh how easy your people are to corrupt..._

"We'll it doesn't really matter now." Lithyia replied with a shrug. She pressed on the call button and waited for the elevator.

"I guess not..." Shepard lied. She knew whatever had happened to Trudeth had something to with the voice in her head. She just couldn't connect the dots. Her eyes widened when she finally placed the voice. She had heard it aboard the Citadel. After the Catalyst had gone crazy. She remembered the words it had said.

_I am the monument to all your sins... _

* * *

_Shepard sat on her bed. She didn't remembered how she had gotten here. All she knew is that the lights were too dim and the room was freezing. She shivered and tried to stand up only to find that she couldn't move. Shepard glanced around. Her fish tank was completely empty. She was confused. Last she remembered her fish were all healthy and alive._

_"Oh Shepard... How easy it will be..." A voice called out. Shepard had heard this voice before._

_Two long dark arms reached out from the shadows behind her bed. The long fingers reached into her hair and began to twirl strands of her hair. Shepard shivered. She could feel the points driving into her skin. She remembered the fingers on Ashley. She wondered if they would hurt her too._

_"How easy will what be?" Shepard hissed. The voice chuckled._

_"Your leaders are weak and feeble minded... They care only for their own prosperity... How do you think it was so easy to corrupt that Salarian? She loved knowledge and she saw you as a small price to pay for all the Prothean ruins I offered her..." The voice replied. For some reason Shepard felt as if the body of the voice was standing right in front of her, but her room was completely empty except for her._

_"You lie... The council is better than that..."_

_"Oh Shepard... Do not lie to yourself... They didn't believe you before... They were ignorant during the time of the Reapers and they almost cost the galaxy everything. Why would you defend them?"_

_"Because they're not all bad. They were just trying to protect their own people."_

_"And themselves..."_

_"Of course any one would've..."_

_"Ah but not you... Not him..."_

_Shepard raised an eyebrow. She didn't know who him was._

_"I was ready to die for everyone..."_

_"Oh I know... But they weren't. Your leaders are too corrupted already. They will make deals and betray one another if it means their own survival. You will see..._

_"We'll beat you just like how we beat the Reapers..."_

_"But you never beat me Shepard." Another voice said. Shepard looked towards her door. The Catalyst was standing there. His hologram was a blood red._

_"I was lurking the whole time and you never saw me... None of you. And by the time you did it was to late..." The Catalyst walked towards her._

_"And I defeated them..." Another voice said. A green mist began to filter not her room. A series of pale and deformed tentacles emerged from underneath her bed and began to wrap around her body._

_"Who are you?" Shepard yelled._

_"I am the monument to all your sins..." The voice replied._

_"Your the parasite..." Shepard gasped. The green mist, the tentacles, the phrase... It all made sense. Somehow the Catalyst had allowed the parasite on board the Citadel... And her ship! _

_Shepard was knocked out of her thoughts when the Catalyst laughed._

_"You are trying so hard to figure out how I did it huh? It was so easy. When they made a VI it was rather easy replacing its mind with my own. They didn't even notice the difference so long as I did their work. Turning off and rewriting all the Citadels defense was even easier. Cerberus did it so I figured it how easy could it really be? It was verge easy." The Catalyst walked over to her._

_The door to her room suddenly slipped open. Ashley Williams walked in. Shepard felt relived to see her friend. To see and friendly face, but when she got closer she noticed something. Ashley's eyes were red. Her skin looked like there were cracks in it. Her hair was a lot longer than Shepard remembered._

_"Ashley?" She asked. Ashley laughed but it wasn't Ashley's laugh. It was dark and demonic. Shepard cringed._

_She noticed something else. Everything behind Ashley was black. Shadows and darkness had covered everything. Two red eyes appeared in the darkness._

_The voices all laughed together. Five different yet similar laughs. Shepard grabbed her ears. The laughs weren't loud or even annoying but they caused her pain. A high pitched whining filled her ears. Shepard began to tremble. She started to scream. She couldn't even her what she was saying. Shepard now able to move, fell to the floor wriggling from the sound, trying to claw the noise from her ears._

_She looked up and she saw the ceiling was replaced by a blue sky. She reached for it but couldn't get it._

_Suddenly the voices were quiet and the blue turned to a bright light. Shepard couldn't see but was able to make out five figures. Five figures in the light. Then it all went blank._

* * *

**Twelve hours later. 1 day since the Fall of the Citadel.**

Shepard shot up in her bed. She hadn't meant to fall asleep. She had only wanted to read a book while they were headed towards Quarian space. Apparently her exhaustion had gotten the better of her. She felt her heart racing and sweat was rolling down her skin. She was sweating a lot recently.

She looked around her room, searching for the Catalyst, the mist or the darkness. Nothing. She looked up at the fish tank and was relieved to see all her fish alive and well. Shepard noticed people in the room. She had been to preoccupied with the other things to even notice them at first. She glanced around. Liara, Garrus, Traynor, Joker, Legion and the doctor were all in her room. They were looking at her with frightened expressions.

"What?" Shepard asked. Her voice was shaking. She made the effort to clam herself down by breathing slower.

"You've been screaming and moving around for hours..." Garrus stated. Shepard could tell he was tense. His arms were crossed and his chest was high.

"Hours?" Shepard asked. Her voice was steadier than before, but it still had a slight shake.

"Yes. I've been watching you to make sure you weren't dying on us." Dr. Diaz said softly. She walked over to Shepard holding a black bag. She pulled out a thermometer and a stethoscope, the stethoscope was an advance model that could detect the slightest hint of any lung or heart trouble. The doctor placed the thermometer in her ear and waited for a few seconds till it beeped.

"Your temperatures fine. Now relax." The doctor got the stethoscope and placed it on her chest.

"Heart rates fine." She stated. She lowered the stethoscope and told Shepard to breath in and out. She moved the stethoscope around and after a few more checks she pulled it away and put her stuff back in its bag.

"Your stats are fine Shepard." She said with a weak smile. The doctor turned away and left the room, leaving only Shepard's friends with her.

"Shepard are you ok?" Liara asked sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Fine." She replied a little too shortly. Liara gave her a concerned look.

"Shepard the frequency of your voice and the irregular movements you were making suggest that you are not well. Recommended that you tell us the truth." Legion stated with his cold and still voice.

"Not gonna lie but you are pretty worked up." Joker said with raised eyebrows. Shepard glared at him before looking at her sheets. She ran her hands over her sheets. She wanted to tell them but she didn't what them thinking of her any differently because of it, even if it was just a nightmare. She took and breath and looked at Liara.

"I was in my room..."

* * *

Shepard leaned forward on the side of the war rooms holotable. They were set to arrive in Quarian space within two minutes.

She glanced over at Liara who was standing next to an officer talking to her about something Prothean related. Shepard had told her friends about the dream. Most of them had dismissed it as only a dream but Shepard couldn't shake off the memory. Something about it had felt real. Too real.

Garrus walked up next to her.

"ETA One minute." Joker announced over the intercom.

"Here we go." Shepard exclaimed.

"I'm not the only one who thinks that this is going to be one hell of a ride right?" Garrus said a loud.

"Well if we go by current rates of Casualties and the appearance of the parasite we could hypothesize..." Legion started. He was standing on the other side of Shepard looking at Garrus. Garrus held up a hand.

"Legion it was a joke." Garrus replied.

"Oh..." Legion said back looking at the Galaxy map. Shepard had to suppress an amused smile.

The ship shook very slightly as the it dropped out of the mass relay stream. The holotable began to flicker and a holographic image of the system appeared in front of them.

Shepard's heart dropped at the sight.

"Brace yourselves!" Joker yelled over the intercom.

The Normandy harshly swerved, barely avoiding a large chunk of debris. Debris floated everywhere. Parts of ships and bodies. The debris count was too high for anyone to count. They could only hang on as Joker maneuvered through the field.

The Normandy nose dived underneath a piece of Quarian ship. It was the front nose of the ship. Scorch marks littered the debris. The Normandy barrel rolled to the side avoiding the hull of another destroyed Quarian ship. A large chuck of a Geth ship floated in front of the ship forcing them to nose dive once more. The high pitched rings of metal on metal filled the air as the Geth debris scratched the Normandy's hull.

Finally the ship reached a clearing and Joker stopped the ship completely.

"What happened here?" Liara asked in complete awe.

"Judging form the debris I would say the Quarians fought against an overwhelming force and lost." Legion replied.

"The Quarians had the largest fleet in the Galaxy." Garrus stated looking at Legion.

"Had." Shepard said grimly. Everyone stated at the hologram. The debris was so plentiful that planet behind it was partially covered up from all of it.

"I can't believe this... How were they beaten so quickly?" Liara stated in shock.

"That's how." Shepard said with a firm voice. She saw what had destroyed the Quarian fleet. She was absolutely terrified on the inside but she couldn't let her crew see that. They looked up to her. She would never let them down. She couldn't.

The crew was silent as they stared at the reason for the Quarians destruction. A fleet of roughly a hundred thousand ships was stationed on the other side of the Quarian home planet. At the center of the fleet were several massive ships, sleek and bulbous.

"Those ships in the center... They're massive." Garrus exclaimed leaning in towards the hologram.

"Estimate puts them at almost thirsty kilometers long..." EDI announced over the intercom.

"Dear God..." Shepard muttered.

"They're more than twenty times the size of a dreadnought..." Liara stated. The entire room was silent as everyone soaked in the new information. Shepard bite her lip. She didn't know how she could tell Hackett that the largest fleet in the Galaxy had been destroyed.

While Shepard was thinking EDI spoke over the intercom.

"Commander we have an incoming signal. Audio only." The AI informed.

"Patch it through." Shepard replied. They waited a minute till the signal was patched through.

"Hello? Who is there?" A frantic make voice asked.

"This is Commander Shepard of the Normandy." Shepard replied standing up straight.

"Commander! Thank the heavens!" The voice replied.

"Solider what's your name? And where is your ship?" Shepard asked. She hadnt seen any intact Quarian ships since they had arrived in the system.

"I am Captain Milas Quartin of the Migrant Fleet. My surviving fleet is behind the fifth planet at the end of the system." The man replied.

"Captain where is your commanding officer?" Shepard asked.

"I'm... I'm in charge Commander. The Admirals... They're gone."'

"Captain what happened here?" Shepard asked urgently.

The man sighed over the coms.

"It was only a few hours after you brought our councilor back to Rannoch. We detected several ships appearing at the edge of our borders. We tried contacting the ships but to no avail. We sent in a few scout and diplomatic ships to meet the new arrivals. They never came back. We mobilized part of the fleet and sent them to investigate. A few hours later we received video feed. The video was only a few minutes long, but it showed thousand of ships, with weapons far more powerful than our own annihilating the fleet. By the time we had declared a state of emergency the ships arrived at the home system. The bulk of our fleet defended the planet for a while, but When we realized it was a losing battle, especially once we learned their numbers, we dedicated a few thousand ships to evacuate the planet. We tried to contact everyone, but we couldn't. Somehow the enemy managed to deploy a signal that blocks all of our long range communications. It was then the Geth arrived, or at least a part of their Fleet. They fought alongside us, they tried to help, but then the unthinkable happened. The Geths new home world was attacked. The Geth ships informed us of their impending doom. Our Admirals ordered a full retreat at that point. They ordered us to Turian space. That's when it happened. Another part of the enemy's fleet came out of the Mass Relay and attacked us from behind. Their larger ships tore right through our lines. We had to think quickly or we would all die. The Geth and Admirals came up with a suicide mission. They decided to ram the enemy fleet with half of our remaining fleet, and use that as a distraction so the other half could escape. The Admirals were noble and used their own ships to do it. They hoped their sacrifice would save us..."

"That's horrible..." Liara grieved.

"Indeed but they were desperate. They tried the plan and it worked. However what our Admirals didn't know was that the enemy had left ships to guard the Relay. A few of us managed to make it out before we were destroyed but now we can't make it to the Relay without being spotted." The voice informed.

"How many survivors are there?" Shepard asked.

"We have three thousand ships that managed to escape." The Captain informed. His voice was staticy.

"That's less then ten percent of the Migrant Fleet." Legion informed. The others ignored him. To them his facts were sometimes really negative.

"Do you have any surviving Geth ships with you?" Shepard asked. She needed all the facts to make a proper decision.

"Yes a couple hundred. I'm not sure how their home system fared. I pray the battle was not as hopeless as ours." The Captain sighed. Shepard thought about for a moment. She didn't have the resources or man power to effectively save them all but she had to try something.

"Captain Im sorry but there isn't much assistance we can offer, but if we can get to you, we could think of way to get all your people out of here." Shepard said. The Captain thought it over for a brief moment.

"Thank you Commander."

" be there In a few and You can come aboard my ship and we'll see what we can do about this whole mess."

"Agreed."

* * *

Commander Shepard watched as the Quarian Captain boarded her craft. He was rather small but his demeanor was one of command and she respected that.

Captain Quartin moved over towards Shepard.

"Commander you have my deepest gratitude. We thought the Galaxy had forgotten about us." The Captain said with a curt bow.

"They never forgot, things just got a lot worse out there." Shepard replied placing a firm hand on the Captains shoulder.

"What do you mean?" The captain asked.

"Did your councilor inform you about the Citadel?" Shepard asked. The Captain shook his head.

"He was only back for a few hours and he called a secret war meeting with the admirals but before they could inform us of anything the ships arrived. His ship was one of the first destroyed in the battle over Rannoch." The Captain replied sadly.

"Captain the Citadel has fallen. The Catalyst, the leader of the Reapers, is alive. He released some sort of parasite on the station. The station lasted only a few hours." Shepard said crossing her arms. The Quarain was speechless for a few moments.

"Impossible..." He whispered.

"No its possible. Now that parasite is attacking the Turians and Krogans."

"By the gods..."

"Its been a day and the parasite have already started a new war." Liara stated. The Captain was quiet again, he then looked up at Shepard.

"Commander I thought the reapers were defeated? How is their leader alive?" He asked.

Katherine shrugged.

"The same way he survived on board the Citadel even before the Reaper War. None of us knew he was alive till it was to late." Shepard explained.

"Then it makes sense how the galaxy was ambushed. The Catalyst must've let the parasite in somehow. He must've hidden them. He did a damn good job..." The Captain replied.

"No kidding." Garrus replied grimly.

"Captain I know you have a lot of worries right now but there was a team of scientists from the alliance somewhere on Rannoch. Do you know where they are now?" Shepard asked looking at the Captain closely.

"Ummmm... I heard something about a team of scientists getting lost after exploring some newly discovered ruins in the southern half Rannoch but I don't know anything else."

Shepard turned towards the hologram of the system. Something clicked inside her head.

"EDI can you pinpoint where the signal blocking all communications is coming from?"

"I can try..." EDI replied. "Give me a few minutes."

The group waited in silence, till The Captain spoke.

"Shepard what is your plan?" He asked.

"Well Captain for one those scientists are at ancient ruin on Rannoch, the enemy fleet is orbiting Rannoch and If my hunch is right then the signal is coming from Rannoch." Shepard explained.

As if on que, EDi spoke again.

"Shepard the signal is coming from the southern half of Rannoch on the far side of the planet. If I'm correct I believe that the scientist were there, seeing as there are several Prothean ruins that are catalogued in an underground cave nearby." EDI stated. Shepard grinned.

"Its to much of a coincidence that the signal is coming from the same side of the planet the enemy fleet is orbiting, and the same area the scientists were last seen. We're going down there." Shepard said as an order.

"Commander I mean no disrespect but we cannot wait. Every moment we do is another chance the enemy has of finding." Captain Quartin stated, urgency plaguing his voice,

Shepard looked at the Captain, and with kindness said

"Captain you've done an excellent job protecting your people. The best you could, but if the enemy wanted to they could've swept the whole system whenever they wanted and destroyed your survivors. There's a reason they're protecting the planet and where the signals coming from. That's why we have to go down there. If they what something that bad it could only mean trouble for us." Shepard's voice was firm yet soft. The Captain sighed.

"Please hurry commander."

* * *

The shuttle zipped through the clouds of Rannoch. It shook slightly as it hit the slightest amount of turbulence.

The shuttle passed over an area of green plant life. They were nearing the ocean on the southern half of the planet.

Shepard leaned against the wall and pressed on her communicator.

"Commander ETA one minute," Cortez announced over the comm.

"Alright, Legion stay with Cortez. Cortez I need you to stay at most two miles away. Their signal is jamming our long range transmitters and if we need evac I need to able to contact you." Shepard ordered.

"Yes commander." Cortez replied. Shepard released the communicator. She checked her weapons. Each was fully loaded and ready to go. She looked around at her squad. Garrus, Liara, a new N7 operative, and three other alliance marines were checking their own new N7 operatives name was Jacqueline Winters. She had been assigned to Shepard only a few months earlier. It was her first field assignment with Shepard. She had shoulder length blonde hair and green eyes.

Shepard felt the the shuttle begin to slow. She took a deep breath and relaxed. She dedicated all of her focus to the mission at hand pushing all other thoughts from her mind.

"All right men listen up. I'm not sure what may be down there but we can probably expect some of those parasites down there. They're fast, they're strong and they're hard to kill. Aim for the center of their chest to kill them and above all else watch each others backs." Shepard stated strongly.

The shuttle lowered down to a foot high hover above the grass. Trees and all sorts of various plant life surrounded the shuttle. Little scaly creatures scurried away from the shuttle. Bird like creatures flew away as the tree tops shook from the shuttles engines. The side door hissed as it slide open. Shepard jumped down and raised her weapon, scanning the surrounding greenery. The rest of her squad climbed down from the shuttle, each taking position around Shepard. The shuttle doors closed and the shuttle lifted off, flying out of the greenery and into the distance.

"Lets move. Single file. The ruins are only one hundred meters away." Shepard ordered over the com channel.

"Copy." Garrus replied. The group slowly made their way through the brush. Shepard climbed over a fallen tree. She saw a little scaly creature crossed her path. She tensed up waiting for an attack but the creature scurried away under a nearby bush. Shepard relaxed and continued. She stepped carefully watching her foot placement. She didn't want to get surprised by anything. The trees began thin out, and after ten minutes of walking through the trees and greenery, the group saw a clearing. Shepard steeped past the last trees and into the clearing. The wind was blowing softly, caressing her face with a gentle breeze.

"Nice weather." Jacqueline mumbled under her breath.

"Very." Liara replied.

Katherine looked in awe at the structure occupying a majority of the clearing. It was sleek and tall. Its design She slowed to a stop as the large shadow of the structure washed over the group. She let her eyes run all over the monument, observing every crevice, every corner. Shepard noticed the scientists camp in front of the structure. A large cavernous like opening leading into the structure, laid behind the camp. Shepard gulped. Something gave her an uneasy feeling about the beautiful structure.

"Well if there's one thing I can tell you, its that that is Prothean." Liara said taking a few steps towards the structure.

"Somethings not right about this..." Garrus said squinting.

"What do you mean?" One of the marines asked.

"This structure is huge... How did the Quarians or Geth never manage to find it?" Garrus asked looking at Liara.

"He has a point." Shepard said tightening the grip on her rifle.

"Its possible the structure was smaller and somehow the scientists managed to enlarge the structure." Liara said putting her hand on her chin.

Shepard walked towards the structure. She noticed patches of dirt around the edges of the structure. Katherine could see the walls of the structure covered in a light dirt coating. She motioned Liara over to her.

"What do you think?" Shepard asked.

"Hmmmm..." Liara hummed. She moved up to the structure and wiped her hand over the wall. The dirt came clearly off leaving a hand mark on the wall. Liara looked the structure up and down a few more times before moving back to Shepard.

"Well from the looks of it the structure must have rose up from the ground and seeing how easily the dirt is wiped off I'd have to say it came up very recently, otherwise even the slightest drizzle would've wiped the structure clean." Liara explained. Shepard nodded. Slowly the two made their way back to the group.

As the group awaited orders, Shepard studied the monument. She wanted to leave. Something felt off but she couldn't place it. She felt a coldness fall over the area despite the warm temperature. She didn't show it but chills ran up her spine as she stared into black void of an entrance. She knew she couldn't back away from the mission no matter what she thought.

"Alright check the camp. See if you can find anything that will help us figure our where they went." Shepard ordered. The group moved into the camp. Each person split up and walked around searching for any sort of clue. Liara began to mess with the computers and study the information on them. Garrus worked around in their tents looking for anything that could help the team find the scientists. Jacqueline studied the scientist equipment hoping to find something.

Shepard walked over to the structures cavernous entrance. She stood only a couple feet in front of it. She activated her flashlight. She looked inside and saw that The entrance became smaller as it went on leading to a door in the very back. She could see no way to open the door. She wondered if it was a motion activated door.

"Shepard!" Liara called out. Shepard turned her flashlight off and jogged over to her friend.

"What it is?" Shepard asked. Liara motioned Shepard over so she could she the computer screen.

"The scientists last entry say they were heading in this morning. Apparently the night before, I'm thinking about the time the fleet arrived here and attacked Rannoch, the structure began to rise up out of the ground. When they received reports of the ongoing battle there was an argument, some of the scientists wanted to stay others wanted to go. Those who wanted to stay did stay and they went inside. According to this journal entry that was eight hours ago... " Liara asked.

"So they have no idea the fleet was defeated?" Garrus asked.

"Probably not. I just wonder why they're not back yet." Jacqueline asked, skeptically looking at the structure.

"Probably got lost. It tends to happen. We'll find them." Liara replied shutting down the computer.

"Alright team." Shepard began standing up. "Lets go find us some scientists."

* * *

Shepard walked into an open room her light illuminating the room. It was square and dusty. The lights of her team filled the room as they too entered the room. Shepard walked around. She noticed the scientist equipment set up around the room but no scientists. She studied the floor looking for any signs of an attack but found nothing. She wondered where the guards were. She figured the enemy fleet would send down something to protect the source of the signal.

She studied the equipment. The few laptops and data pads gave off only the faintest amount of blue light.

She put her weapon on her back, the magnetic locks holding it in place and started messing with one of the laptops. She clicked around the files searching for anything. She found several files and documents about Prothean ruins and devices, and the meaning or value of them, but nothing on the scientists whereabouts.

"Shepard..." A soft voice called out. Shepard sun around. She saw Liara sanding on the far Side of the room next to a door. Shepard walked over to her. She noticed something about the door. It was strange even for Protheans. It was triangular. The corners of the triangle were smoothed out, and two lights lined the middle of the door. Shepard didn't see any visible way to open the door.

"Liara?" Shepard asked walking up next to the Asari.

"Notice anything odd...?" Liara asked looking at the door with quizzical eyes.

"Something's different about it but I don't know what..." Shepard said looking at the door. Garrus stood behind the two listening in.

"If I didn't know know better I'd say that wasn't Prothean at all." Garrus stated.

"That's because it isn't." Liara stated walking towards the door. She stopped next to a crate of the scientists equipment and grabbed a scanner. She studied the scanner and looked back at the others.

"And if these scientists were any good then they would've known too." She stated grimly. Liara walked up to the door and placed her hands on it. She grunted as she tried to push it open but to no avail.

"Guessing the doors not motion activated." Garrus chuckled. Liara glared at him.

"No its not, and from the looks of it an Omni tool won't open it either." Liara grunted as she tried to push the door open again.

"Garrus, Shepard, a little help." She called out. The two spectres moved over to their friend and pressed their bodies against the door. All three pushed against the door. Again they failed to move it. They tried several times, eventually the whole group of marines including Jacqueline joined them, but even with all the extra help they couldn't even budge the door. After several more tries Shepard gave up with harsh sigh. She walked away from the door and studied it again she felt a strange urge, as if she should give it one more try. After the group moved away from it, having given up after one final try, Shepard made her way to it. Something inside her felt warm as she approached it. She felt as if she had seen the door before as she knew how it worked, but she couldn't figure out where she had seen it.

Shepard pressed her hand against the door. She noticed something. The lights grew only the slightest amount brighter when her hand was against the door. She pulled her hand away and the moment her hand left the lights grew dimmer. Shepard stared at her hand, curiosity filling her body. The armor around her hand pulled back and revealed her hand in all its flesh. She pressed her palm and fingers agains the center frame of the door. Suddenly the lights grew brighter on the door, simultaneously turning a light blue. Five blue circles encompassed each of her fingers. The blue circles turned green. Suddenly the circles disappeared and the door slide open. Shepard stepped back quickly, clearly surprised. The group slightly jumped at the movement of the door.

"How did you get it to open?" Liara asked bewildered.

"Open sesame?" Shepard said unsure. She lifted her rifle and pointed it inward. Unlike the rest of the ruins the hallway before her was well lite with luminescent light on the ceiling above. Shepard took a few steps towards the hallway. The design was far different from any Prothean ruin she had ever seen, an unknown to her it was far different than any ruin even Liara had ever seen either. The sleek curves and smooth metal was far different than any design she had ever seen.

Katherine walked inside the hallway. She ran her hand over the wall. She looked around the hall on awe. She wondered what race built this. Even though they had built the rest of the ruins, She was sure it wasn't Protheans whom had built this hallway and whatever it lead too, but besides the Leviathans and Reapers she didn't know of any other ancient races.

"Its looks like the Protheans themselves were studying these ruins..." Liara said walking into the hall after Shepard.

"But who built them?" Garrus asked walking in after the two.

"Whoever did was obviously held in high regards by the Protheans. I mean they built a whole structure over this hall." Jacqueline said entering after Garrus.

"Question is did they ever figure out what this hall led too?" Liara asked as she examined one of the walls.

Shepard saw something out of the corner of her eyes. A small glint of light. If she wasn't in her exact spot looking in the exact direction there would've been no way she would've seen it. She bent down and picked up the fragile object. She looked over it in her hand and turned bak to the group.

"The Protheans might not have, but unless the Protheans wore glasses, I can tell you the scientists did." Shepard held up the pair of glasses in her hands. A small crack ran down the lens of one of them. Shepard turned away from them. She raised her rifle.

"Lets just hope they're ok."

* * *

Shepard stepped onto the bottom floor of a platform. The platform was the only way to cross the giant chasm in front of her. They had been searching the new ruins for half an hour and there was still no sign of the scientists. The further they went into the construct the more nervous Shepard became. It was too quiet and too peaceful in the ruins.

She had looked around the platform when they had first stepped onto it. It was floating in mid air, a huge chasm around it. The sleek walls and lights were out to far for her to even jump to. She looked down trying to see what suspended the platform but had found nothing.

"Whoever built this had a huge mastery over gravity and physics itself." Liara said with awe. Shepard nodded in agreement and looked around the bottom floor of the platform.

Her group was spread out over the two story platform. Liara and Garrus were with her on the bottom floor while Jacqueline and the other marines were checking out the top floor. Shepard noticed a pedestal with a blue hologram panel across from her. A pane of glass floor lined the way to it. She carefully set a foot on it. Once she was sure the glass floor was stable and would hold her weight, she moved freely over it and to the panel. Liara followed her freely while Garrus took it slowly, almost tiptoeing over the glass. He didn't feel safe stepping over a glass floor, especially with the endless looking chasm below them.

Shepard reached out for the panel. She pressed her hand against it. The platform jerked slightly as it began moving forward. She heard static over the comm.

"Shepard we have movement up here." Jacqueline stated over the comm channel.

"On my way up." Shepard replied. Before Shepard could turn around she heard a scream.

"Move!" She yelled at her two friends. The three sprinted to the top floor of the platform. They could here the sound of gun fire echoing throughout the chasm. Shepard vaulted over a barrier and onto the second floor. The top floor had an open roof and walls. Metal barriers and tall metal columns provided the only real cover. Shepard saw a marine in the middle of the floor, a huge hole in his chest. The hole was smoldering.

Shepard raised her rifle. She surveyed the area searching for an enemy. She saw Jacqueline crouched behind a barrier the other two marines behind a metal barrier a few yards away.

"Shepard get down!" Jacqueline yelled. Shepard didn't hesitate. She dove to the floor as a golden beam flew over her head. She cursed underneath her breath and rolled behind a barrier. She noticed Liara and Garrus do the same.

"What the hell was that?" Shepard yelled. She looked over the barrier and noticed the machine that had targeted her. It was floating and was made of three cylindrical shaped structures that seemed to only float around a center piece. She stared at it for a second partially awestruck by its design. She noticed the center piece beginning to glow gold. She quickly hid behind the barrier as a golden beam lanced over her head. Shepard's shields partially drained from how close the shot was.

"Jacqueline what the hell are those things?!" Shepard yelled. She popped out of her cover and unleashed half a clip of her Avenger rifle before being forced back into cover by another golden beam.

"I have no idea! They came out of nowhere!" Jacqueline yelled. Shepard gritted her teeth together. She watched Garrus and Liara open fire on one of the machines. Their bullets bounced harmlessly off its shields.

Shepard activated her AP ammo and vaulted over her barrier. She targeted the machine closest to her and fired. Her entire clip depleted as she drained the machines shields. She dove behind another barrier and reloaded.

"Any had any luck taking down their shields?!" Shepard yelled as she unleashed another volley on two floating machines. Her heart slightly sank. Their weapons were inferior to these machines. Their bullets were of almost no use.

Shepard counted a total of six machines. She felt disheartened. The machines were few but strong. They were to much for her team and she knew it. She had to find a way to beat them. She quickly came up with an idea.

"Target the one over me. Lets see if some combined fire can take care of our new friends." Shepard ordered over the com. She stood up and aimed for the machine right in front of her. The machine was targeting Jacqueline. Shepard opened fire. The machine jerked slightly, and turned back towards Shepard. Several more weapons opened fire. Bullets riddled the machine on almost every side. The machine fried at Shepard just as she had to reload. Shepard tried to sidestep. The golden beam melted straight through her rifle,barely missing her arm, and drained her shields halfway from the close contact. Shepard barrel rolled and drew her side arm. She opened fire on the machine. The machine turned back towards Jacqueline, its center piece beginning to glow gold. Shepard felt her confidence waning as the shields of the machines still held. Finally though the shields collapsed. The machine suddenly began to fly away. Shepard heard a scream and watched as a machine blew apart into several pieces from a sniper round. Shepard noticed another machine targeting her and managed to duck behind her cover before she got hit. She gritted her teeth as the beam flew over her. She looked up, remembering the scream from earlier and tried to locate the cause. She saw one of the marines bodies near Jacqueline missing their head.

"Shepard we need to go! Now!" Garrus yelled. Shepard looked over towards her friend. Garrus was holding up Liara. Liara was biting her lip and struggling not to cry. A large chunk of her shoulder was missing, the wound smoking.

"Shit..." Shepard cursed under her breath. She poked her head out from cover and immediately pulled back down as another golden blast shot over her.

"Jacqueline!" Shepard yelled.

"Yes commander?!" Jacqueline replied firing over her cover.

"Do you have an Attack drone?" Shepard asked letting loose a few shots at another machine targeting Garrus and Liara. The machine shot at Shepard instead forcing her to roll to another cover.

"Yes but I don't see how that's gonna be of any use here." Jacqueline replied.

"Program the drone to head out towards the machines. Tell it to fire randomly at all the machines." Shepard ordered. She continued to fire and duck at the machines. She felt her heart racing.

"Done!" Jacqueline yelled. She stood up and released the blue attack drone. The drone fired at each of the machines as it slowly flew into the open space between the machines.

Shepard watched as all the machines tracked the drone and faced away from her team.

"Down to the lower level! Quick!" Shepard yelled. She ran over to Garrus and Liara, and with the help of Garrus, hefted up Liara and made their way down stairs. Shepard heard the last marine and Jacqueline behind them. She heard the machines fire. She knew they had only a few seconds before the machines followed them down.

The group made their way into the bottom floor. Tactically it provided more cover for the group thanks to the closed walls and roof. The only way in was the ramp they had come down.

Shepard and Garrus quickly laid Liara against the back wall. The two drew their rifles and faced the way in. Jacqueline and the surviving marine took up position behind them. Liara drew a side arm with her good arm and aimed at the way in.

Shepard felt sweat building on her brow. Her finger twitched over the trigger. It felt like a eternity waiting for the machines. She knew they were going to die. She figured they could take down at least one possibly two of the machine but the rest would completely destroy her and her team. She could only pray their demises were quick and painless. She had never felt so helpless.

She heard a low rumbling. She saw two machines float in slowly. Her group opened fire. The machines, with a sudden burst of speed, dashed to the side letting in two more machines. The machines central pieces suddenly began to glow golden. Shepard drew her side arm with her left hand and held her rifle in her right. The machines golden pieces were bright and seconds from firing. Shepard felt her heart stop.

"Stop!" A synthetic peppy voice yelled. The machines held their fire. The golden lights on them disappeared as their weapons powered down. Shepard's held her weapons up. Her group had ceased its fire at the sudden demand. She sent a weary glance at Garrus.

Suddenly the machines turned towards the entrance. Another, different machine, escorted by two more of the ones Shepard had been fighting, entered the room. This one was circular with an artificial light as a center 'eye' in the middle of it. The machine glowed a dim blue color. It seemed to study Shepard and the others, moving from one to the other. Shepard wondered what it was doing but she never let her eyes wander away from the machines that had attacked them.

"Oh dear that's a nasty wound. Do not worry we will get that cleaned up." The new machine said looking at Liara. His voice was friendly and cheerful. Shepard found it strange for a machine to have such a voice.

"What are you?" Liara asked in shock staring at the machine with wonder.

"Oh where are my manners!" The machine said angry with itself. It floated away from Liara and in front of the whole group.

"Greeting! I am 248 Reluctant Promise. I am the monitor of this installation. These are my sentinels. I apologize for them attacking you. These are merely defensive sentinels and with the appearance of the Flood fleet above the planet they were ordered to shoot anything entering the facility on sight. Fortunately for you all I happened to see video of your fight with my sentinels. If I hadn't I would never have intervened and you more than likely be dead by now but that's not the case for you! how unfortunate it was your comrades didn't make it!" The monitor said cheerfully. Shepard found it sick that he was so nonchalant about the attacks, but for some reason she felt like she couldn't condemn him. He seemed like a child, like he didn't understand what the attacks had cost them, and her comrades, she figured were the scientists.

"Reluctant Promise I am commander Katherine Shepard of the Alliance. What's the flood?" Shepard asked curiously.

"Ah yes! The Alliance the remnants if the old UNSC." Reluctant Promise said with cheery attitude as he ignored Shepards question. Garrus was slightly irritated by his quick talk and high pitched voice.

"UNSC?" Liara inquired.

"Yes. United Nations Space Command or UNSC for short. They were one of the dominant factions of the Galaxy about 2.2653 billion years ago." Reluctant said quickly.

"Wait you said that the Alliance was the remnants of the UNSC?" Shepard asked pointing her finger at the monitor.

"Yes. And by Remnants I mean your technology is... How do you say it? Our of date? Haha. Out of date. Ahh" Reluctant laughed.

"Our technology's our of date? Do realize our firepower is now equivalent to that of the Reapers themselves? Not to mention our medical advances have increased lifespans almost fifty percent? Humans live to almost a hundred and fifty years now. The other races live even longer." Liara said obviously offended.

"The Reapers? Oh that sad excuse for a Galactic threat? Hmmm... My information is little on them but from what I can gather... their firepower was on the low side of UNSC weapons... Interesting they... Wait hold on..." The monitors voice grew low and alarmed. His blue light turned red.

"We must go." The monitor said worriedly. Suddenly the Sentinels, at great speeds, flew out of the bottom floor and off the platform entirely.

"Come quickly." The monitor stated. He hurried out after the sentinels. Shepard glanced at the others.

"Like we have a choice?" Garrus stated rather upset.

"Help Liara up and meet me up on the top floor. I'm gonna go talk to Mr. promise." Shepard ordered. She let out a nervous breath, though no one noticed, then followed after Reluctant Promise.

Katherine stepped out onto the top floor of the platform. Reluctant promise was floating at the far end of the platform, staring towards the entrance to the giant chasm, the way Shepard and the others had entered.

Shepard walked up to the monitor. She looked at it and followed his gaze. She saw hundreds of Sentinels heading towards the entrance.

"Where are they going?" Shepard asked with a firm voice.

"To deal with the Flood entering the facility. They must've followed you down here." Reluctant stated.

"Who is this flood?" Shepard asked turning towards him.

"A parasitic organism that's sole directive is to consume all life. They are more commonly know as the parasite." The monitor restated.

"They're here?" Shepard asked alarmed.

"Judging by your reaction you've dealt with them before."

Shepard nodded.

"It is logical to fear them. They are formidable. I mean they defeated my creators."

"Your creators?"

"Yes. The Forerunner."

"Not the UNSC?"

"No. But after my creators fall they handed down the Mantle to the UNSC and her allies. Together they defeated the Diadact and his allies and save style Galaxy."

Shepard wondered what the Mantle was but instead she asked "What happened to them?"

"The Parasite. But in all actuality there were multiple factions that were the reasons they fell..."

"What were the others actions ?"

"They are factions that have not been catalogued. But I can tell you together they made something so powerful the Reclaimers were defeated. "

"Reclaimers?"

"Another name for humans and the UNSC."

"So I'm a Reclaimer?"

"No. You are a branch of the true reclaimer race. There is only one reclaimer left."

"Where are they?"

"Outside the Galaxy."

"Outside?!"

"Yes. You see commander the Reclaimers had unimaginable power."

"So did the Reapers."

"Reapers? You keep referring to them. They were weak compared to the UNSC and Reclaimers, but now is not the time for discussion, we must leave quickly the parasite are coming!" The monitor turned away and floated towards the other end of the platform. Shepard followed. Her team trailed behind her, they had came up during her and the monitors conversation.

"Could that evil threaten the Galaxy again?" Shepard asked as the platform stopped, connected by a hard light bridge to large door in the wall. The monitor floated away towards the door ignoring her question. The group followed. The large door slid open. The group gasped at the sight before them. A sleek, graceful vehicle with wings and large engines stood in front of them.

"This is a Forerunner Firebird. This should be able to get past the enemy ships orbiting the planet and get us to safety." Reluctant stated.

"Us?" Garrus asked.

"Yes us. I must keep free of the parasites clutches or they will find the last reclaimer. He is our only hope."

"He?" Liara asked.

"Yes. He"

* * *

**_"Andromeda had fallen. The Milky Way is the only one left."_**

**_"Impossible..."_**

**_"I wish he was here..."_**

**_"He had the best luck out of all of us.. If only it hadn't run out."_**

**_"If only..."_**

**_Doctor Catherine Halsey to Admiral Hood._**

* * *

**A/n hey guys! Si hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Its a lot better than its predecessor... Sorry for that 2nd chapter. It was poorly done. It will be rewritten but I'm not sure when. Anyway hope you enjoyed! Review Please! Thank for reading and God Bless!**


	5. Part I Chapter 3

**Part I**

The voice and face of all evil.

Chapter three: The escape from Rannoch

* * *

Commander Shepard stared at the vehicle in front of her. The design was completely alien to her. It was to graceful looking. It seemed like no threat at all, but something wanted her not to think that way. She had a feeling the small aircraft was a lot stronger than she could imagine. Speaking of strength her mind wandered to what Reluctant Promise had said. He had stated the Reapers were weaker than the UNSC. That statement sent shivers down her spine. But she shrugged off the feeling. She could ask the monitor details later. She had to focus on the task at hand.

"By the spirits..." Garrus exclaimed looking at the craft.

"I've never seen anything like this..." Liara gasped walking towards the craft.

"Please be careful" Reluctant Promise exclaimed.

"I'm rather experienced with ancient technology. Ill be fine." Liara stated. Reluctant promise floated over to her.

Suddenly a shriek filled the air. A shriek that Shepard had heard a day ago on the Citadel. She felt a cold chill run up her spine. It was as if her body was naturally afraid of the sound. As if a six sense told her what was coming.

"Oh crap..." Jacqueline exclaimed. The group turned back towards the giant chasm behind them. Hundreds of bulbous infection forms crawled up the walls of the chasm from the entrance on the other side. Several combat and pure forms were standing in the doorway staring right at the group. They shrieked and stomped back and forth, obviously upset from their inability to reach their prey.

"Impossible... I sent over two hundred sentinels to deal with them... There's no way they should've got past my guards." The monitor said furious. His light glowed a bright red at his obvious irritation.

"We'll desperate times call for desperate measures." He said angered. Shepard slightly shifted her body away from the monitor. She felt even more uncomfortable with the monitor now. She noted his quick mood changes and made another mental note to be very cautious when she spoke with him.

Shepard saw something she had never seen before. Two small black holes opened up on ether side of the monitor. Shepard immediately backed away as did the rest of her group. Two beings emerged out of the portals. Once they had emerged the portals shut behind them.

Katherine was in awe of the beings. They were tall. Very tall. Much taller than even a Krogan. She estimated it at least eight to ten feet tall. The beings body's were completely metallic. Their design was sleek like the rest of structure. Weapons were seemingly attached to their arms. Their legs were skinny as were their Ames but their torsos were broad and large. Their backs were almost hunched back but seemed to be that way due to the large amounts of metal attached to their back. Bluefish lines if light traveled down and around their bodies. Their faces were covered by triangular masks with two slits for their eyes. The creatures didn't even look at Shepard or her squad. The two made their way to the platform and stood in front of it. Another parasite shriek filed the air. The creatures backs opened up like insect wings and their masks opened up revealing the glowing human skulls beneath them. They roared back at the parasite. Shepard found the roar intimidating. Almost as terrifying as the parasites shrieks.

Almost.

"Hurry we must depart at once." The monitor said floating away towards the ship.

"We can't leave just yet." Shepard stated firmly. Reluctant promise turned around and looked at her almost quizzically.

"But why not? At the rate the parasite is spreading I recommended immediate evacuation of this facility." The monitor stated.

"There's a signal originating form here that's blocking all of our long range communications, if we can't disable it there's no way we can save the remaining Quarians or Geth." Shepard informed.

"Ah! Yes the signal! I activated it to disable the parasites ability to contact with the rest of their fleet. When they discovered the facility they would've called for reinforcements and the last thing we want is for them to receive reinforcements. I was hoping to delay the destruction of this planets inhabitants. It seems my plan may have back fired..." The monitor stated. His voice had no edge of concern in it. Rather he seemed frustrated that his hadn't worked simply for the sake of it not working. To Shepard and the others it seemed like he could've cared less about the Quarians of Geth. His red light beginning to glow brighter. Shepard tightened her grip on her riffle.

"No need to be alarmed commander. I have disabled the signal meaning we really must go now." Reluctant said his light turning back to its light blue color. He floated towards the ship.

"How do we know your not just working with the parasite? How do we know your not lying to us?" Liara asked looking at the monitor.

"I suppose you don't. But what do you call it? Faith is it? Hmmm... Anyway you'll need to trust me if you want to leave this planet. As it is if I wanted you dead you all would've already been dead." He replied as he continued to the craft. As if to support his claim another parasite shriek filled the air. The group exchanged uneasy glances.

"At least he's honest." Garrus replied. The remaining marine snorted at his comment.  
"Shepard?" Liara asked looking over at their commander. Shepard was in deep thought. She kept trying to think of a solution. Trying to find a way around the monitor so they wouldn't have to place their lives in his care. She looked at Liara with angry and defeated eyes though Liara took no hint to it since Shepard's look was one of stone. She looked towards the monitor.

"I don't see another way out. If we don't follow him then those things will tear us apart." Shepard said motioning towards the chasm and the parasite within it. The group exchanged uneasy glances but stayed quiet.

"We must go." the monitor announced from his position near aircraft. "We don't have much time." He said in a worried tone.

"Check that out." The marine said in awe. Shepard turned to see what he was referring too.

Katherine flinched as she saw several combat Flood forms jump onto the platform a pile of ash at their feet. She raised her weapon and was about to fire when the knights lunged. She watched how fast they were.

The first knight had managed to lunge fast enough that combat forms couldn't even react to it. A hard light sword slide out of its arm. In one swift motion it spun around and severed the combat forms body in two. The other forms tried to lunge at it but weren't fast enough. The knight managed to spin around. With its other arm, a hard light weapon built into it, blasted one of the combat forms in the face. Shepard watched as the rounds ripped through the parasites body like paper and the combat form literally disintegrate into ash. She now knew what the ash at the knights feet was. The knights had been defending the, while their backs had been turned.

The other combat forms, three left in all, attacked the knight. They opened fire with several unknown weapons, streaks of blue and green slamming into the knight. Shepard noticed the knights shields flare but that didn't stop it from charging the combat forms. The knight slammed into one form knocking it to the ground, it swung its arm and sliced another form in half. The third form drew another weapon. It held a hilt of strange design in its deformed tentacles. Shepard wondered what such a small weapon was capable of. Suddenly a very strange looking sword formed from the hilt. It glowed white and Shepard could see the heat it radiated. The form lunged at the knight. Shepard's heart briefly stopped as she wondered how knight would survive the attack. In her eyes the weapon the parasite wielded reminded her of an omni blade, but one that seemed capable of killing in one hit. Then something that completely baffled her happened.

A split second before the sword made contact a worm hole opened up behind the knight. The knight suddenly was pulled into it and the hole disappeared. The sword slashed through the air where the knight had once been. Shepard felt her mouth drop slightly at the sight. Suddenly another hole opened up behind the flood form. The knight lunged out of the hole and sliced the flood form in half. The last form alive had gotten to its feet. Several rounds from the knights weapon disintegrated the last flood form completely.

"That was rather... Impressive..." Garrus stated placing his hand under his chin.

"More than impressive." Jacqueline stated.

"I would not want to fight one of those." Liara muttered.

Shepard couldn't agree more. The speed and size of the things was terrifying enough but with their weapons made them even more way they were a able to just disappear then reappear out of no where, gave her the chills. How could she fight an enemy she couldn't watch.

"Commander we must leave immediately! The enemy ships are moving into position to orbitally bombard the installation!" Reluctant Promise yelled knocking the group out of its momentary trance. Shepard quickly looked back and forth between the knights, whom were fighting another horde of flood forms, and the monitor. She didn't like it but they had no other real options. Suddenly an explosion rocked the entire building. Dust and pieces of metal fell form the roof.

"Quickly on the ship!" Shepard said breaking into a sprint. Her team did not hesitate to follow.

Reluctant Promise turned to the ship. His eye began to glow green for a second. Suddenly a ramp from the ship lowered down onto the floor. The monitor floated on board. Shepard half expected the ramp to start closing once he was on board. To her surprise the engines powered up but the ramp stayed down. The group quickly ran onto the ramp. The moment the last person steeped on board the ship began to lift off. The engines blew away layers of dust that had lined the ship and the floors. The dust twirled around the ship giving it a menacing presence as if rising out of a dust storm.

Shepard walked onto what she figured was the bridge of the ship. It was rather large and spacious. The two seats were triangular with smoothed edges. Strips of pulsating blue light lined the edges of each seat. Holographic panels lined the walls. Shepard noticed how there were no obvious ways to control the ship. Glass windows allowed the occupants to see outside. The front window or viewport, was shaped rather normally for the bridge of a small ship. Shepard wondered where the rest of her team would sit. She also wondered what type of ship this was. The ship was to large to be a fighter and to small to be a frigate. Either way after a few seconds she classified it as a fighter.

The monitor was floating towards the front of the ship, hovering above the central control panel. Shepard walked towards him. She noticed symbols and strange shapes that made up the central control panel. She wondered what they meant. Shepard stopped behind one of the front seats and looked out of the front window.

The Commander noticed the walls were moving, then remembered it wasn't the walls but the ship. She moved around the seat and looked up and out the front viewport. She noticed they were racing towards the ceiling which surprised her. She couldn't even feel the ship moving as such speeds. It felt as if it was still grounded.

"Where are we going?" Shepard asked. The monitor never responded.

Katherine watched as the roof began to open up in a circular motion. The metal roof pulled away into the surrounding roof and revealed a beam of light from the surface. Shepard could see the stories of dirt buried between the installation and the surface. She noticed the walls moving away faster and figured the ship was speeding up. Before Shepard knew it they shot through the hole in the roof and she watched as tons of dirt zipped by them. Darkness enveloped the craft leaving only the slightest amount of light from the light of the surface above them and the blue lighting within the craft.

"Where are we?" Liara asked walking over to them after noticing their entrance into the darkness. The rest of the group took notice and turned their attention to Shepard and the monitor.

"We are currently rising at 3000/feet per second towards the surface. A slow pace considering this is an older model but it will suffice. But to answer your question we are currently on the crust of Rannoch in the southern region. We will be headed into space shortly." At the end of the monitors sentence the ship vertically shot out of the hole in the earth and into the daylight of the surface. The group covered their eyes from the sudden change in light. Shepard was barely able to make out the surrounding forest as the ship lifted off into the air. She noticed a few Flood ships already descending down to the installation. She could see the scorch marks on the ground from where the ships had bombed the installation. She was rather surprised when she saw how many scorch marks there were. Dozens littered the ground and the ancient ruins on the surface had been incinerated.

"Commander Shepard I would recommend you contact your ship and shuttle. You should inform them about our current course of action." Reluctant Promise stated.

"And what exactly is our current course of action?" Shepard asked looking at the monitor.

"We will head to your fleet of ships hidden on the outer rim. After that we will depart from this system and move out to smaller system only a few hundred light years away from the outer rim." Reluctant Promise stated.

"Why on earth would we dare venture out that far? Especially without access to a Mass Relay?" Shepard asked irritated. To her his plan seemed plainly stupid. They would be running away from their only means of transportation to their allies yet alone the Galaxy.

"Commander the enemy will soon find the station and its only a matter of time till the discover the location of the last reclaimer. We must save the last Reclaimer." The monitor stated.

With a sudden burst of seed the ship blasted off into space tearing straight through the atmosphere with ease. Shepard looked out in awe and fear. She saw thousands of flood ships rocketing towards them. The designs of the ships were unlike anything she had ever seen. There were so many designs she could barely even register all of them. Katherine wondered which ship had belonged to the supposed all powerful Reclaimers.

"Activating Slip space drive." The monitor said aloud.

"Slip space?" Liara asked.

He didn't respond. Instead a worm hole, similar to the ones the knights had used to teleport around, opened in front of their ship. The ship entered the worm hole, black space enveloping them. Shepard looked out trying to find any source of light. It was pitch black wherever they were. Before she could even ask where they had gone another worm hole opened up in front of them. Shepard could see the light of stars and planets through the hole in the black space. The ship flew through the hole with ease and re-entered normal space. Shepard looked around quickly trying to locate where they were. She saw ahead the surviving Quarian and Geth ships. It completely baffled her how quickly they had managed to travel the entire system.

"How the hell did he do that..." Garrus gasped.

"Radio the Normandy and let them know where we are. Tell them to get Cortez and get over here." Shepard ordered.

"No need commander. I already transmitted a message for you. Your ship is already on their way... Oh look an incoming transmission." Reluctant promise said cheerily.

Shepard was surprised. She hadn't expected him to do that. She quickly washed her thoughts away as a hologram appeared displaying Captain Quartin.

"This is Captain Quartin of the migrant fleet. I ask who you are and what is your purpose in our system?" The captain asked with fire.

"Your system? Well according to recent events the system now belongs to the Flood. Though I can understand why you would believe it is still Your System despite the fact you and the Geth have basically been evicted." Reluctant Promise stated, completely unfazed by the captains tone.

Captain Quartin was taken aback by the AIs statement. Before he could speak Shepard stepped into the picture.

"Captain this is commander Shepard. Its along story but we have to leave now. This is Reluctant Promise. He's an Artificial Intelligence unit form the installation we found on Rannoch"

"Another AI?" The Quarian gasped. Unknown to Shepard he wasn't to fond of AI's, even after the Geth had given them back their planet.

"Yes. I am an AI. But I recommended we flee immediately. The Flood have already discovered the installation and are seemingly aware of my abandonment. They are already approaching our current location and will soon be upon us if we don't leave immediately."

Shepard felt a twinge of curiosity inside her. She wondered why the Flood would chase them as they fled the system? She knew they obviously the weren't a threat. She noted what the monitor had said. That he had abandoned his installation... She had figured the Flood were after the installation not the AI. She glanced at the AI skeptically. She wondered why they would want him.

"You bring death upon my people you monster..." Captain Quartin hissed back at the Monitor.

"Captain enough." Shepard said holding a hand up to his hologram. The Captain muttered something under his breath but stood down. Shepard looked down for only the briefest of moments. She pondered what the AI had said.

"Captain Quartin as of right now we don't have much of a choice in deciding what to do. Those ships are coming for us and unless we want to end up as a pile of floating debris, we neEd to leave immediately." Katherine stated firmly.

"She is correct. We need to leave here and head to a system a little ways out from the edge of the outer rim. If we..." Reluctant Promise started.

"I'd rather die than listen to the words of an AI." The Captain spat interrupting the monitors statement. Shepard looked back up at his hologram and internally frowned. She hadn't none he had such a hate for AIs. Then again who was she to judge? It had only been ten years ago the Geth had controlled their home planet. Shepard was sure she would still hate any race that had done that to humanity. Still she was getting frustrated. She understood why the Captain was angry but if he didn't listen they would all die. She didn't even want to test how strong the Floods fleet really was.

"Captain." Shepard said interrupting the twos conversation again. She didn't know how to convince him, heck she had barely convinced herself, but she knew Reluctant Promise was right. At least about this. She knew the Flood would destroy them. The rest she could worry about later.

"You might rather die Captain, but what about your people? Are you really willing to sacrifice their lives just to appease your pride?" Shepard stated. It sounded harsh but she couldn't play nice right now. They needed to get moving.

"Commander how dare you ally yourself with such filth!" The Captain hissed. Shepard was taken aback by his harshness. She was beginning to think his hatred was a little to much even for her understanding. Something that irritated her.

"You may be willing to sacrifice your people's lives but I am not Captain." She was surprised she was arguing with him. He had been so cooperative before.

"Turn over your command to me and I'll lead your people out of here." Shepard ordered. The Captains head moved back in shock. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. A stranger ordering him around.

"How dare an outsider order me around." He muttered. Shepard shook her head but could sense his resolve. The Captain sighed.

"We only have about twenty two minutes till the Flood ships arrive. Also Commander, the Normandy has joined the group and is approaching our ship." Reluctant promise informed. He reminded Katherine of Legion. The two would get along splendidly with their fact telling.

"Captain decide now. Leave your people or come with us." Shepard asked impatiently. The Captain slowly looked up at her. He sighed again and ran his hand over his head. After what felt like a couple of minutes which greatly irritated Shepard the captain spoke.

"Commander I trust your judgement even if it means trusting this AI. Lead and we shall follow." The Captain stated. Shepard could here the doubt and anger subdued in his voice but she was glad he had at least temporarily calmed himself down though she knew she would later get an ear full from him.

"Thank you Captain." Shepard said slightly relived. She looked up at Reluctant Promise.

"So where are we headed?" She asked hurriedly. She was starting to get anxious as she wondered how close the Flood fleet was.

The Monitor floated silently for a few moments staring blankly, at least what Shepard thought was a blank stare, at Captain Quartins hologram. Suddenly he turned one hundred eighty degrees and looked back at her.

"I have sent coordinates to the fleet and your ship. Tell them to follow the coordinates at their fastest possible speeds and that we will rendezvous with them shortly." The monitor stated. Shepard wondered why they would meet them later.

"Explain to me why we are meeting up with them later rather than following them?" Shepard crossed her arms and looked at the monitor with a glare. Garrus and Jacqueline shifted uncomfortably, feeling the intensity of the glare, but as expected the monitor wasn't even fazed by it.

"Commander the Flood fleet will catch us if they are not intercepted. There must be a distraction to stall them so the fleet can get away."

"Let me guess we're the distraction?" Garrus sighed comically.

"Correct. This ship may not be large enough to handle an entire fleet but she does have a few tricks that are enough to stall a fleet." Reluctant promise stated in a devious voice. Shepard shifted her weight onto one leg.

"So what tricks does this small ship have to take on an entire fleet?" Shepard asked with a raised eyebrow.

The monitor looked back at her. His glowing eye flashed yellow.

"I'll show you."

* * *

Katherine stared out of the viewport with a panicking heart. She kept her face and body calm and composed, but inside she was rather nervous. They were going to face off over fifty thousand ships with a single fighter like craft. Even with the monitors plan she thought it was a bad idea, but she knew they had to do it. She knew Reluctant Promise was right. They couldn't run or the Flood would catch them. So they had to distract them and give them the edge they needed to disappear.

Shepard had watched the Remnants of the Migrant and Geth fleets flee the system with the Normandy as the lead. She was still very skeptical about wherever the monitor had sent them, but she could only hope they would be ok. With the Relay being guarded by the Flood there was no other way to escape the system.

Katherine shook her head trying to clear her mind. She had a lot of people resting on her decisions and her decisions were based off sheer trust and luck. It wasn't the smartest situation she had gotten herself into but she couldn't see anyway it could get worse.

Commander Shepard shifted her weight away from the viewport as a high pitched ding went off. The monitor had explained this would happen when they got within firing range. She prayed they wouldn't fire right away.

"Lets be glad they don't have any Reclaimer ships with them." Reluctant Promise announced as he entered the bridge. He had left to inspect the ships weapons.

"Why?" Shepard asked raising an eyebrow. The monitor floated up next to her, staring out the viewport towards the enemy fleet.

"If they did my plan would not work. The ships would be to resilient for my idea to work." He stated. Shepard studied the mass of different ships. She wondered what the Reclaimers ships looked like. She was seeing sleek and bulbous purple ships, rectangular and sure like gray ships, triangular and metallic ships, sleek and smooth looking metallic ships, and so many other various forms she could barely even describe to herself.

A small red light began to blink on the dashboard of controls.

"The enemy is preparing to fire..." Reluctant Promise stated.

"Great." Liara muttered from behind. Suddenly several more seats slide out from under the floor around the rest of Shepard's group.

"You may want to take a seat." The monitor said his eye glowing red.

Katherine didn't hesitate. She sat in one of the front seats and a hard light belt wrapped over her in an X form. The same happened to the rest of her group. Garrus was rather intrigued by the belts.

Suddenly a cold ran over the bridge. Shepard felt her hairs stand up on her arms.

"He doesn't know I'm here. He will try to intimidate you. Don't let him find me or we are all dead." Reluctant Promise stated in an almost shaky voice, his light dimming greatly. Shepard looked at him with a strange awe. She had never heard the monitor sound scared. Even of the Flood. So what could possibly scare him so much?

_You know me Commander..._ A deep and horrid voice filled the air. Shepard knew the voice, but it still managed to send fear crawling up her spine.

"By the spirits..." Garrus gasped with a shiver running down his spine. Shepard felt her body cringe as the voice addressed her.

"Who are you?" She asked. She knew the voice was related to the parasite, or so she guessed, but she needed to know what it was.

"It is him..." Reluctant Promise whispered to himself.

_I am the monument to all of your sins... I am what was created by your sins... I am the fifth part..._ The voice stated.

Shepard was confused. She had no idea what he was talking about.

_Now my ships will not fire unless I say so... But if you want to live... You must tell me something..._ The voice stated. Before Shepard could respond the voice spoke again.

_Where is he? The Monitor... I know you know Commander. Do not test me and I will allow your fleet to live... Do not lie to me or the consequences shall be dire..._

Shepard looked over at Reluctant Promise. The monitor had floated towards the bottom of the bridge, towards the floor. He seemed to be cowering from the voice.

"He knows I'm here... Despite my advancements... I was given an advancement along with only one other AI. An advancement that allows him to not find me or hear me unless he physically connects with me... If he finds me... Your Galaxy dies... Please do not let him find me." The monitor stated in a soft and terrified voice. Shepard bite her lip. She didn't want to give up the monitor but she barely knew him. And this voice was offering her a choice... A way to save her Galaxy... Then she realized it. The voice had said the fleet not the Galaxy... The voice was trying to play her.

"Your a liar. You'll destroy us the moment you get the chance!" Shepard spat with a fire filled voice.

Instead of the voice admitting or even just letting his ships open fire, it did something Shepard actually didn't expect. It laughed. And laughed. And laughed. Its laugh was dark and cold. Lifeless and void. Evil and cruel.

Commander Shepard's entire crew shivered and felt themselves crunch down into their seats at the sound. Shepard had never felt so cold on her life.

_Ha ha ha ha ha! You are smart Commander. But you are a fool as well. Prepare to die! We will destroy him without the monitor! And we will end all the changes of the five ever coming to light!_ The voice roared. The entire ship seems to shake from the power behind the voice.

"What's the hell is the Five?" Shepard yelled.

"What the hell are you?!" Liara asked. She grabbed heard her and began convulsing. Her body began to thrash violently back and forth as the voice began to laugh even louder. Her inhuman screams filled the air as she continued to fly around in her seat and tears poured down her face.

"Liara!" Shepard yelled grabbing the hard light belts and trying to tear them off.

"Hold on!" Reluctant Promise yelled.

Suddenly their fighter like craft dived down. The voice disappeared, the atmosphere felt warm and alive again, Liara stopped convulsing and screaming but fell unconscious after her panic.

Shepard watched as the craft dived down and flew at full speed towards the fleet.

"Lets see If your plan works." Shepard yelled at the monitor. They had placed a mine field where the enemy fleet was, before the fleet had arrived, and thanks to Forerunner stealth technology the enemy fleet had failed to notice them.

"Activating mine field. Preparing to fire hard light rockets." Reluctant Promise stated. Shepard watched as mines with blasts equivalent to a blast one hundred times the size of the Hiroshima bomb, ignited up in front if the fleet. Seconds later Hard light rockets shot out from the fighter, twenty in total. The rockets broke apart into a thousand smaller rockets each, equally twenty thousand rockets. The rockets flew the remaining way through the remains from a two thousand ships destroyed by the mines and slammed into the ships behind them.

"Firing final flare." Reluctant promise stated. Shepard didn't even acknowledge him. She stared in awe. A single fighter was capable of this. A single fighter had destroyed thousands of ships. She wondered how powerful the Forerunners had been, which made her wonder even more how powerful had the Reclaimers been?

She watched as a single light based missile flew towards the enemy fleet. It flew at the fleet and moments before impact it exploded. A bright flash of light, one brighter then the sol systems sun, covered the entire view of the viewport. The viewport managed to polarize in time to keep the crew from being blinded. Shepard saw a worm hole open up in front of them.

"What was that?" Garrus asked in shock.

"A final flare. An large blinding EMP designated to cripple enemy fleets for a quick get away." Reluctant Promise stated. Then they entered the wormhole and disappeared from the battle.

* * *

"So where are we headed?" Shepard asked as she looked around her fleet via the Normandy's holotable in the war room. They had landed the fighter within the Normandy's bay, which took up most of the space. They were traveling at FTL speeds towards a system outside of the galaxy in the darkness between Galaxy's.

"To the last place any of them live." Reluctant Promise stated.

"These Reclaimers you speak of?" Legion asked crossing his arms. The monitor had told Shepard's crew the same exact story he had told her. She still had her questions though. Such as what the hell The Five was.

"No." The monitor replied.

"Then who?" Ashley Williams asked.

"The Last of the Covenant."

-  
_  
'Test the doorway...'_

'It works mam...'

'Amazing... What my mother and the Reclaimers would've given to see this...'

'Its possible this is the way the Five can be found...'

'Possible'

'But what about the reports?'

'Hopefully they can awake him...'

'If they don't?'

'Then God help us all...'

-

**A/N not as long as the last chapter but its decent. Hope you enjoyed! God bless and please Review! Also any questions feel free to PM me.**


	6. Part I Chapter 4

**A/N well hey guys! Long time! Sorry I'm trying to update but writing these chalets are challenging! Hope you like this Chapter!**

**Part I**

The voice and face of all evil

Chapter four: The last of the Covenant

-

"What is this Covenant?" Liara asked curiously.

Shepard stared at the monitor with unforgiving eyes. The monitor had told them they were going to save the last Reclaimer. Now here they were going to find whatever this Covenant was. Shepard degraded herself for her mistake. She should've been more careful when dealing with the Monitor. She could feel how tense the air was. She was glad she wasn't the only one feeling upset by the decoy. Shepard could've sworn if the air was any tenser she could've grabbed it and out it in a jar for keep sakes.

"The Covenant was an alliance of alien races that explored the Galaxy 2.2653 billion years ago around the same time as the UNSC. Their main goal however was to go on something they referred to as the Great Journey. A religious pilgrimage so to speak." Reluctant Promise stated.

"So they were kind of like what the Citadel is? Excluding the die hard religious part." Garrus asked trying to create a small joke to lighten the mood. It didn't work.

"The Citadel?" The monitor asked confused. Before anyone could respond to him he spoke again.

"One moment." He stated, his bright blue eye glowed brightly for a few seconds before returning to its normal brightness. The group barley even blinked by the time the he was done going through the Normandy's systems and gathering all the information he need.

"Ah yes. The Citadel. The center for all diplomatic relations for your Galaxy. Well In a way they were like the Citadel since the Covenant was made of multiple xenomorphic species, but that's where the similarities end. The Covenant was a militaristic society with weapons that could easily challenge and defeat the UNSC at the time or any of the Citadel races. Long ago the Covenant and UNSC fought in the Great War. The two clashed and the galaxy shook to its seams from the fighting."

"Wait so the UNSC was already as strong if not stronger than the Reapers but your saying this Covenant was possibly even stronger?" Ashley Williams said leaning over the war table as she stared at the monitor with unbelieving eyes.

"Yes and they were far more ruthless. After twenty years of war the UNSC was on the brink of defeat when the last Reclaimer saved them once and for all." Reluctant Promise hummed softly as he reminisced on the memory's. How he longed to meet the inheritors of the mantle, well now only the last inheritor.

"Great." Ashley sighed disheartened.

"What happened?" Liara asked softly wanting to hear more about this ancient and unknown history.

"That is no importance right now. What is Important is that we get the cooperation of the Covenant." The monitor stated floating towards the holotable. His eye glowed as he hacked into the Normandys systems again. Shepard watched in awe as the holotable suddenly came to life and displayed several different alien races that Katherine had never seen before. There were eight different races. The most terrifying were the large ones with giant shields. Shepard wondered what kind of damage they could do.

"Now what you see here were the eight members of the original Covenant." Reluctant Promise stated as a hologram of a human appeared next to each race to compare the two races sizes.

Ashley and Shepard were almost terrified to see the ones with giant shields were twice the size of humans if not bigger.

"The ones on the far left."

"Whose left?" Ashley asked. Shepard would've normally considered it a stupid question but decided it wasn't since the war room was circular and there was no definite left.

"My left." The monitor replied slightly irritated but the question.

"Anyway the ones to my left are called the unngoy, more commonly known as grunts. They were the basic infantry of the Covenant. Being about five feet in height, having weaker weapons, and having a generally cowardly attitude, alone they were not much of a threat but whenever in groups they were a dangerous bunch." The monitor stated. He floated over to the next species.

"This critter was called a Kig-Yar or Jakal by the UNSC. They were bird like repltilian creatures with two different sub groups. One is the Jackals and the other the Skirmishers. They were primary used as snipers, scouts, shock troopers, and defensive units due to their heightened senses. They regularly wielded hand held shields that were capable of taking significant punishment before collapsing and were generally taller than most humans averaging between six and seven feet. Unfortunately the Kig-Yar went extinct after the Fall." Again he floated over to the next group and before anyone could ask what the Fall was he continued.

"This species was once called Yanme'e or Drones as humans once called them. They were around the same size as large humans and were insect like aliens with flight capabilities. They had great understanding of technology and machinery though seemed to lack individuality. They were quick and through their mastery of anti gravity technology they had numerous advantages in battle with not flight capable creatures. They too however long ago went extinct for unknown reasons."

"The Fourth species are the Sangheili. The Elites. They are a proud and noble race whose society is built on honor and pride. They were physically much larger, stronger and faster than humans. They would be able to easily rival your modern day species classified as the Krogan." Reluctant promise stated earning the hologram of the Elites a few uneasy glances.

Shepard was intrigued. A race that could physically challenge the Krogan? She felt impressed by these Elites and she found it odd how they resembled the Turians even if only to the slightest extent. The monitor continued.

"They were the backbone of the Covenant military until the Great Schism where they were betrayed. They eventually allied themselves with the UNSC and helped the last Reclaimer end the war. One particular Elite helped him the most."

"Who was the Elite?" Liara asked.

"His name was Thel 'Vadam, known as The Arbiter."

Shepard noted the name. It was a unique name that seemed like it would strike fear and awe into the hearts of enemy's. Shepard didn't worry however. Whoever he was he was surely dead after two billion years.

The monitor went on to explain the rest of the Covenant species. He introduced the Brutes, Hunters, and Prophets.

Shepard was stunned to learn the savagery of the brutes could rival that of the Krogans and was even more surprised when the monitor told them that their strength surpassed the Krogans. She was happy to learn the brutes had gone extinct a while back.

When he had explained the hunters to them the entire group had gone deathly silent. The strength the beasts possessed was terrifying. Their weapons even more so. Their sheer existence was terrifying. Katherine had been relived to learn they were generally friendly unless pissed off. She told herself to remember to never piss off a hunter if she ever meet one.

Shepard immediately didn't like the prophets. She didn't like the way they ran things and lied to their people, and the were ugly. Really ugly. She thought they looked like a two hundred year old grandmother. What she hated the most however was how their actions so resembled those of the council. She was more than relieved when she learned they were extinct as well.

Finally after an undefined amount of time the monitor finished his introduction of the Covenant. Shepard briefly wondered what their military was like. She looked up at Reluctant Promise.

"What was their military like?" She asked letting a hint of her curiosity show. She wanted to know a lot of other things as well and she figured there wasn't a better time to ask than now while he was spilling his guts to them.

"Their military was very formidable in strength but lacked any true tactical brilliance. However their numbers and sheer brute strength gave them a huge advantage on the battlefield over their UNSC counterparts."

"What about their naval power? What were their ships like?" Liara asked.

"They had several ship classes. The largest being the Super Carrier which reached a length of thirty kilometers. Each ship was made of an strong purple metal. The designs were sleek and bulbous." The Monitor pulled up a hologram of the ship classes ranging from smallest to largest. Shepard immediately recognized the largest ship.

"So that's the ship we saw in the middle of the Flood fleet." Liara stated staring at the same ship as Shepard.

"Correct. Their ships however were not nearly as nimble or maneuverable as your own but their firepower was greatly beyond yours. Be glad you never saw the glassing of a planet." Reluctant Promise stated with a somber voice.

"What exactly is Glassing?" Ashley asked quizzically.

"Glassing occurred when the Covenant would fire a high powered beam from orbit and literally burn the surface of a planet to glass. They normally only used this on certain spaces of land such as UNSC factories or military strongholds. However they did glass a few planets entirely rendering them uninhabitable for decades to come."

"That's insane. Why would someone do that?" Liara naively asked. Shepard shook her head at the monitors information. She knew an enemy would do whatever it would take to win a war but burning an entire planet? Even she thought that was a little much, since even the Reapers hadn't done anything that drastic.

"What about this Great Schism?" Shepard asked referring to the earlier mention of it.

"Ah." The monitor said with a sigh.

"Towards the end of the Great War, while the UNSC was near defeat, the Covenant had a civil war. The Prophets betrayed their Elite allies, using the Brutes as their new military backbone. They tried to wipe the Sangheili extinct. It didn't work however and the elites ended up joining the UNSC."

"Why would they betray their own?" Liara asked.

"The elites leaned abut the truth of the Great Journey something the Prophets rejected as heresy." Reluctant Promise simply stated.

"And what was the truth about the Great Journey?" Shepard asked curiously.

"That is a story for another time. We have arrived." The monitor stated his eye glowing a bright green. Shepard eyed him curiously. She would like to hear the whole history between the Covenant and the UNSC.

Katherine watched as the holotables display changed into a large planet with a Saturn like ring around it. It had several large moons and was the only celestial body orbiting its own star. The surface was rocky looking with bodies of water spread throughout the surface. It reminded the commander of Earth just more barren and at least ten times bigger.

"Commander we've arrived at the coordinates Reluctant Promise gave us. Scans show it has an earth like atmosphere. Also I'm not sure the fleet has enough fuel for the journey back into the Galaxy. The Normandy only has two tenths left of its tank." Joker stated over the intercom.

"Great..." Shepard sighed pulling part of her hair behind her ear. Suddenly an alarm began to sound.

"Shepard incoming contacts! They just appeared out of no where. Two hundred ships surrounding us on all sides spaced out evenly. Each one is at least three kilometers in length." Legion informed looking back at Shepard from a terminal within the war room.

"Stupid decision to surround such a larger force." Garrus chuckled.

"Shields up. Tell the fleet to prepare to fire on my command." Shepard ordered crossing her arms and ignoring Garrus's comment. The holotable adjusted to display her fleet of a few thousand ships to the ships surrounding her fleet. They were large and bulbous.

"Is this the last of the Covenant you were talking a out?" Shepard asked looking towards Reluctant Promise.

"Yes Commander. I suggest you let me handle this. They will listen to an instrument of their Gods." He stated a little too confidently. Shepard shook her head.

"Send out a transmission. Lets see if we can get some negotiations going before we start another war." Shepard said looking over at Liara. Liara nodded and hurried over to another terminal.

"It has been a long time." Reluctant Promise sighed happily. Shepard raised an eyebrow at his statement.

"Shepard receiving an incoming transmission." EDI stated over the intercom.

"Patch it through." Shepard replied. She was only the slightest surprised to know they had already received a transmission from the new fleet. She had half expected that would happen when the ships first appeared. She was also glad they hadn't just opened fire like the other half of her had expected.

The holotable flickered and its image changed. The two fleets disappeared from the holographic display and morphed into a large being with slick and pointed armor. The being had its arms behind its back and it stretched its four mandibles. Its skin was scaly and its body lean.

Shepard would've been shocked more by its appearance if the monitor hadn't shown her the races of the covenant, though she was a little startled to actually meet a living so soon. She figured the monitor meant for this to happen. She decided to wait and let things play out. If things got ugly she could just blow the monitor to smithereens.

"An actual elite..." Liara muttered under her breath. The hologram looked at her quizzically before looking back at Shepard.

The elites mandibles moved around and noise came form its throat like it was talking to them. The language it spoke however was far to different for anyone to understand. It was heavy and gurgly. It finished speaking and waited for a response. Shepard looked over at Liara for help. Alien languages weren't really her thing.

"What are you saying?" Liara asked frustrated. The elite looked at her strangely. It looked down and seemed to mutter something to itself. It looked up again and spoke.

"I am Fleet Master Thran' Fredum of the Sangheili fleet Majestic Torch. Now I ask why have you dared to enter our system?" The elite asked with a commanding voice, though everyone could here its apparent struggle to speak english. Shepard noticed the slur of his S's. She wondered how the elites knew how to speak English. It was a question she could ask later.

"My name is Commander Katherine Shepard of the Systems Alliance. We were brought here by this monitor Reluctant Promise." Shepard said making room for the monitor next to her.

The Elite stared at her with unbelieving eyes seeming to have ignored her statement.

"I never thought I would see a living human." He mumbled. Shepard looked at him oddly. Before she could respond the monitor spoke.

"Greetings! I am Reluctant Promise of installation 345 on the planet Rannoch! I was designed and created by the Forerunners as a monitor of that installation." He stated with a voice far to gleeful for Shepards taste.

The elite seemed taken aback for a moment as he looked to the monitor. He studied the monitor before speaking again.

"I have heard such things before... Old myths and legends... But the last of the Gods great structures were destroyed long ago and even if you were created by the Gods I must ask you to leave peacefully or I will force you to leave." Thran' emphasized the last part. Shepard immediately knew he wasn't kidding.

"Fleet Master Thran' there are three Forerunner installations still intact. One installation, mine to be exact, has been compromised. The other holds the last Reclaimer. And the last..." The monitors stopped speaking for a moment as if contemplating what to say.

"What was I talking about again?" The monitor asked cluelessly. Shepard shared a confused glance with Garrus.

"You were talking about the last Forerunner installations..." Shepard whispered to the confused AI.

"Ah yes! Anyway there are three left. And we need your help. We must speak with your leader." Reluctant Promise stated, avoiding the topic of the third installation. Shepard engraved it in her memory to ask the monitor why he didn't speak of the third installation.

"I am the leader of the Covenant." Thran' stated proudly.

"Yes yes... But not you. I want to speak to him..." The monitors eye glowed red.

Shepard stepped back from the bipolar AI.

"Who is this _him_ you speak of?" The elite asked. Shepard knew the others didn't hear it but she did. His voiced had wavered only the slightest and that, showed that he knew what the monitor was talking about. He was just playing hard to get.

"You know of whom I speak..." The monitor replied with a dark voice.

"_He_ will say the same as I have." The elite retorted.

"Fleet Master I am almost certain his response will be different. He knew the last Reclaimer and will willing take us top him."

"You speak of the Last Reclaimer... He is nothing more but a myth as well. He died a long time ago." The elite stated.

"That's where your wrong. He is very alive and the Galaxy needs him once more. In fact your leader can even confirm this."

Thran' stared at the monitor having seemingly forgotten about Shepard. It made Katherine uneasy. She wasn't used to being on the sideline. She was used to being the one arguing and making decisions. It made her feel attention obsessed or selfish, but she knew that wasn't it. That last time she sat on the sidelines the Reapers had managed to sneak up on the Galaxy and almost managed to destroy it. She didn't like leaving the fate of the Galaxy in the hands of an unstable AI, but what choice did she have? She hated to admit it but she had no idea what the AI was talking about. She barely knew any of it. All she knew is that they had to save this Reclaimer if they wanted to save the Galaxy and she would do almost anything it took to save it.

"And why would you need _his_ help to find him?" The elite stated.

"Because only _he_ knows where he is. Also these ships do not have the capability to make it to that far out into deep space. We need your help." The monitor seemed to almost plead with him.

The elite thought about it carefully. He could not risk his people's safety, but he could also sense the worry in the monitors voice. He couldn't just sit on the sideline and do joint while someone pleaded for help. His honor would not allow it.

"I will send you coordinates where you can land a shuttle. Meet with the greeting party I will send to meet you and they will transport you to my desired meeting location. We will then discuss this in private... Commander..." he said turning back towards Shepard.

"My fleet will escort your fleet to our moon. If they try anything we will not hesitate to obliterate your entire fleet. I recommend that you don't arm yourselves when you arrive on my planet. My people have not seen an outsider for a very long time."

"Agreed." Shepard and Reluctant Promise stated at the same time.

"Good. I will see you soon." Thran's hologram flickered away as the communication was cut off.

"I don't trust him." Garrus stated.

"He probably doesn't trust us either." Ashley Williams retorted.

"Enough." Shepard snapped. She looked up at the monitor.

"Liara tell the fleet to follow the coordinates he sends them and update them on the situation." Shepard ordered. She didn't even need to see the Asaris nod to know she was already on the task. Katherine looked up at the monitor.

"I hope you know what your doing."

* * *

Katherine stepped out of the shuttle and covered her eyes. The star, or sun of the planet, was beaming down on them through the reddish orange sky since hardly any clouds were in the sky. Shepard could smell the fresh air and the salt of the ocean. She wasn't surprised when she felt the humidity hit her full on. She wish she had tied her hair up. Her straight red hair was going to curl badly.

She looked around the dirt landing sight, a large cliff dropping off into the ocean behind them. She could hear the waves of the dark blue ocean crashing against the rocks. Katherine turned away from the ocean searching for the party meant to greet her and her team. No one was within in sight. Well no one except the CSS battlecruiser floating off in the distance. Garrus and Jacqueline stepped out of the shuttle and made their way next to her. Shepard had brought the, for one reason. Besides Legion they were the two best fighters she had. If things got ugly she'd need them.

"Cortez." Shepard started as she pressed down on her com.

"Remain here until further notice. We don't want provoke the natives." She strongly emphasized the provoking part. The others nodded in agreement.

"Oh this is a lovely planet!" Reluctant Promise announced as he floated off the shuttle. His eye glowing a bright blue.

"Hmm I wonder if my creators ever knew about this system? It wasn't on any data files or any archives." He continued confused.

"Promise, just keep it to yourself will you?" Shepard said trying to polite. The monitor didn't reply as he just stared off into the distance. Shepard shook her head.

Dust that floated up into the air in the far distance managed to catch the commanders attention. The dust was swirling around what Shepard saw as purple vehicles. The vehicles floated off the ground a foot or two, and were racing straight for them. Shepard hoped this was really a greeting party and not an attack party. She had to resist the urge to ready her biotics and draw her weapon even though she didn't have one. Garrus and Jacqueline both shifted uncomfortably as they too noticed the vehicles.

"Oh look here they come!" Reluctant Promise said with glee. Shepard felt herself beginning to steam underneath her armor. She was starting to get annoyed with the monitors big mouth, then again who wasn't?

The vehicles were smooth and made of a purple metal. Several were smaller crafts with two wings that had mounted guns underneath them, a single pilot in each if the crafts. The others were larger vehicles that seated three people and had larger mounted guns on the back. Finally there was the last type of vehicle. It was the same size as the second type but had a large cannon replacing the mounted gun. On the sides were two mounted guns meant for the passengers while the driver was in the front. The odd placement created a triangular looking front for the vehicle while the back was squarish with rounded corners. The squared back of the vehicle allowed for several passengers to sit in the back while protected by an automated shield. The last typ remined shelard of a small tank. They were a lot different from anything the Citadel races had, though they had a few similarities with Turian design.

The convoy was made of three small craft, four of the mounted gun ones and two of the large tank like ones.

Shepard felt both intrigued and threatened by the vehicle designs. The greeting party had some pretty big guns for just one shuttle full of people.

The vehicles pulled to stop around fifty feet from Shepard and her team. Several Elites hopped out from the tank like and mounted gun vehicles. Several small aliens which Shepard immediately recognized as Grunts, hopped out besides their larger comrades. The group wielded various weapons ranging from a small curved green lite weapon to a larger sleek blue lite weapon. Shepard looked around for Thran' Fredum. She hoped she would recognize him but she couldn't tell the difference among all the elites. The only thing she really saw different was their armor and its color. She cursed herself for not paying more attention to Thran's armor design. Maybe then she would've recognized him. She was supposed to be observant. Was she getting to old? We're her skills slowly decaying with time? Shepard blinked a few times bringing herself back to reality as a group of elites approached them.

"Are you the one named Commander Shepard?" The lead elite asked loudly not even bothering to greet Shepard and her team. He stood a good few feet over Shepard and stared at her with unimpressed eyes. He held a small blue weapon in his hand. It reminded Shepard of a sub machine gun. His armor was a dark red color and was sharper looking than the rests. She wondered what that meant.

"I am." Shepard stated staring at the elite with a gaze of stone. The elite held a gaze that had struck fear into almost anyone she had known. Shepard however didn't back done.

"And I am Reluctant Promise of installation..." The monitor started. The elite held up a hand to the monitor rudely cutting him off.

"Good. Follow me. I will take you to Fleet Master Thran'." The elite said ignoring Reluctant Promises introduction. He turned around and walked away with a scoff. Shepard glared at him from behind.

"Well he was mighty friendly." Reluctant Promise stated a bit downhearted. Shepard couldn't help a small grin.

"Do we follow?" Jacqueline asked in hushed tone. A few elites looked over at her with confused expressions, that were fortunately none hostile.

Shepard looked around the greeting team. She wanted to leave but with the these unknowns owning this small system she doubted it was safe to just leave after agreeing to come down. She sighed as she accepted their only option.

"Like we have a choice..." Shepard hissed following after the elite.

"Im really getting tired of these one sided choices..." Garrus sighed as the he and Jacqueline followed after the Commander. Shepard couldn't agree more. These stupid one sided choice made her feel powerless. She felt like fate was stripping the power she held during the Reaper war away from her.

Shepard began to doubt herself as the lead elite motioned for them to sit in the back if the tank like vehicle. The team sat in the vehicle and Shepard stared out into the distance not even registering the vehicles driving away from her shuttle, mountains of dust picking up after the vehicles.

Shepard let out a soft sigh. She hated this feeling. Ever since this whole ordeal had started she kept getting pushed around as if she had no say. When the darkness stabbed Ashley she could do nothing for her friend, when the council damned her she could do nothing, when the Quarians and Geth were annihilated even though she didn't know what was happening she still was powerless to stop it, and now Reluctant Promise, an AI, was making all the calls when it came to this Covenant. She hated it. She hated feeling so powerless. She felt a moral responsibility to protect her galaxy and yet she wasn't even the one making decisions. How could she protect her Galaxy and all the people in it if she couldn't make any choices? If her life and their lives all rested in the words of this monitor? She just prayed to God that she would be strong and smart enough to save her Galaxy.

"So where are we going?" Reluctant Promise asked one of the elites sitting near them. The elites just stared at him in confusion. They turned to each other and muttered something in their native tongue.

"Guess they don't understand English?" Garrus stated rhetorically.

"I guess not. I will try their own language." The monitor stated. He suddenly began speaking in the elites native language which the elites were surprised by. Shepard watched as the two conversed for a few minutes before the monitor seemed satisfied and turned back to her and her team.

"They are taking us to their Capital called... Well actually I don't know if there's a word for it in your language Commander. Lets just call it... Infinity." The monitor stated with a satisfied voice.

"Why would they take us to their Capital?" Jacqueline asked baffled.

"Guess that's where their leadership is, though its rather a bad idea to take an unknown to the heart of your civilization. Hehe guess they didn't think it through." Garrus replied deciding to join the conversation. Shepard agreed, unless these soldiers were merely civilians acting as soldiers which would explain their reckless decision. She looked around and studied the actions of the elites in the vehicle with them.

After a few minutes of careful observation she could tell these elites were not military. They were civilian. Their actions were far to smooth and relaxed for military personal. They talked to much and were undisciplined. Shepard wondered why this once glorious Covenant was using civilians as it soldiers.

The vehicle dropped slightly as the ground dipped down causing Shepard to bounce a little. She watched the vehicles traveling behind her. They were fast and nimble, as well viciously elegant. Katherine let herself ponder what kind of firepower they had.

Minutes flew by as a howling wind began overtook the caravan. Shepard watched the terrain as it flew by. She noted the orange dirt and dust that made up the landscape. Strange and various forms of vegetation littered the surface. Rolling clouds began to pass by as they soared high in the sky. Soon the sky was covered in dark clouds. Thunder boomed across the sky as lightening began to lighten the sky. A sleek rain began to drizzle down on the convoy. Shepard listened as the rain batted against the sides of the alien vehicles. It created a soft drumming that drowned Shepard into a blissful peace.

After another couple of minutes of listening to the relaxing beating of the rain, Shepard felt the vehicles beginning to turn and she looked out towards the way they were turning. She only got a glimpse of the massive city they were approaching but was none the less awe stricken by it.

The vehicles drove into the large city, rain zipping by them. Shepard and her team watched as large sleek purple and blue buildings flew by them, lights illuminating the sky from all the buildings. The buildings were smooth and curved. Sleek and graceful. At first they were smaller and wider but as the vehicles drew into the city the buildings grew taller and skinner. They towered up and into the sky, the sleek purple metal reflecting the light from the lightening in beautiful colors. Dozens of elites and grunts were milling about holding a strange form of umbrella. Strange looking ground vehicles drove by Shepard and her convoy. She noticed how the civilians seemed completely unaware of the military convoy or were just used to the military presence. As it was the 'civilians' barely even looked at Shepard and her convoy. She noticed a few other elites with military armor standing guard at various buildings they drove by. She wondered how integrated the military was with the civilian population.

Suddenly the vehicles slowed to halt. Shepard looked back and noticed the elites in her vehicles motioning for her to exit. Shepard complied and hopped out of the vehicle. She stretched her arms and legs letting the blood flow back to them. She stared up into the clouds and let the rain fall on her face. It had been a long time since she had just enjoyed the feeling of it. Garrus and Jacqueline stood on either side of her eyeing the building that stood before them. Reluctant Promise was engaged in another conversation with a different elite. Shepard found it amusing when she saw the elite was trying to answer the monitors questions but seemed rather annoyed by the persistent AI. At least she wasn't the only one slightly annoyed with him.

"That's one big building..." Jacqueline muttered under her breath. Shepard looked at the building in front of her. It was massive. The base was cylindrical with two towers raising up to the sky from it. The tops of the towers disappeared into the clouds, lightning flashing all around them. Lights from within the structure shown out into the dark sky. Shepard noticed dozens of flying vehicles flying around the towers in a proteins circle. She also noticed what she figured were dozens of other civilian flying vehicles flying in an orderly manner around the buildings.

"Its around 45,000 feet tall. A rather large structure for the technology available to them." Reluctant Promise stated floating over to Shepard.

Shepard heard the heavy footsteps even in the rain. The lead elite just walked past her and motioned for her and her team to follow, which they did.

They entered the building through a couple of round sliding doors. The lobby of the building was beautiful. Flowing water falls ran along the side walls while green vegetation accented the ground. In the center was a large desk with several elites sitting at it. Dozens of windows lined the walls not covered by waterfalls. Elevators dinged in the back of the lobby as elites and grunts waited to get on. Several large metal benches were spread around the vegetation. Lights hung from the ceiling giving off white light that contrasted brilliantly with the dark skies outside.

The elites escorting Shepard didn't have to check in with the front desk. The desk elites simply glanced over and saw the lead elite and would quickly return to their work. Shepard could see the fear in their eyes. She concluded that the lead elite was either a real jerk or simply commanded the respect of his fellow elites. She felt like it was the first option more than anything.

Katherine watched as the elites lead them not to the elevators in the back but towards a back room with two elites in black armor and with managing armor standing guard. Shepard on instinct tensed up for a moment ready to fight in a second should things go wrong.

The lead elite said something to the guards in their language and one guard opened the doors to the back room. The lead elite motioned for Shepard and her team to follow him. They followed and were rather surprised that none of the others followed them. The lead elite closed the door as Shepard noticed the room was just another elevator lobby. The doors were a dark purple with white lights lining them on the outside. The lights suddenly turned green and the door slid open revealing the elevator. Its was large and bulbous. The lead elite entered and stood in the back with his arms crossed. Shepard and the other hesitated exchanging a few nervous glances.

"Inside." The lead elite said coldly. Shepard glared at him before complying. The group stepped inside the elevator and the doors slid shut. Katherine felt a jolt as the elevator started upwards at tremendous speeds. She studied the elevator. It was too large for her and her team but she figured it was because it was designed for elites who were a few feet taller than her, Garrus or Jacqueline. The ride up was silent and tense. Shepard could feel the eyes of the lead elite burrowing into the back of her skull. She wondered why he seemed to hate her so much. Shepard looked up and noticed strange symbols switching around on a panel above the door. She figured it was the elites form of a numbering system. She wondered how high they were.

"Its very interesting how these remnants of the Covenant have managed to get this far on a technological scale and still have not yet moved out of this system. I wonder why." Reluctant Promise muttered to himself. Shepard however was wondering the same.

The elevator slowed to halt and finally came to a soft complete stop. The lights inside turned green and the doors slid open. The group walked out of the elevator. The lead elite pushed past Shepard and her group earning him a serious of death glares.

The room they were now in was large and circular. Another desk with two elites sitting at it was on front of them. A set of doors was located on either side of the desk. The room was light by darker lights and was only lined with large couches and a few paintings of elites in golden armor. Shepard figured that the golden armor symbolized a high rank.

The lead elite walked over to the desk and exchanged a few words with one of the elites sitting at it. The elite glanced behind the lead elite and towards Shepard and her group. Her eyed them for a few seconds before giving the lead elite and curt nod. The lead elite said something back and moved towards the set of doors to the right of the desk.

He looked back at Shepard and with a twist of his head motioned her to follow. Again she followed. She was getting tired of all the following she had been doing.

The doors slide open and revealed another large chamber. A huge round table was in the center of the room with thirteen seats around it. Several fluorescent lights hung above the round table giving the room a serious feeling. Eight seats of the round table were filled with Gold armored elites, four seated several grunts in a bright purple armor and in the last seat sat an elite in white armor. Shepard figured out who it was after a few seconds. Thran'.

The lead elite walked over to the table in between two of the gold armored elites. He raised a fist and placed it across his chest. He bowed slightly towards the elite in white armor and said something in their language. The white elite nodded and stated something back. Katherine was wishing she had a translator when the lead elite walked over to them.

"Fleet Master Thran' and the council will see you. Do not disrespect them or I will have your head." The elite hissed getting a step to close to Shepard. He stared her down for a split second before walking past them and leaving out the way they came.

The group stood in an awkward silence as the council and Thran' just stared at them. Shepard was slightly surprised the monitor had nothing to say, she had been half expecting him to immediately start talking the chance he got to. Shepard shifted uncomfortably and crossed her arms.

"Fleet Master Thran' I presume?" She said staring at the whit armored elite. He nodded.

"And you are Commander Shepard?" The elite said. His voice was for more commanding in person than over a hologram.

"Yes." Shepard decided to take a daring move and walked forward to the table. Most wouldn't have considered it daring at all but when in a room full of huge, strong unknown aliens who could kill you at any moment it was taking a huge risk. Fourth agley for Katherine the elites didn't seem to mind. In fact a few of the golden armored ones grinned at her move, seemingly impressed.

Shepard stated at the white armored elite for a split second before speaking.

"Fleet Master Thran' you said you would help us?" She stated.

"I never said I would help. Merely discuss." The white armored elite replied. Shepard sighed internally.

"Then discuss we shall." Reluctant Promise said floating forward next to Shepard.

"Monitor" Thran' greeted.

"Yes. Fleet master again I plead with you that we need to speak with your leader. He is  
The only one with the knowledge of the Last Reclaimers where about's." Reluctant Promise stated. Shepard now understood. The monitor had no idea where the last Reclaimer was so he needed the Covenants help. Shepard decided to talk to him later about being clearer with his plans.

"And why do you need to find this last Reclaimer?" Thran' asked placing his hand together. Shepard noticed the others watching the conversation intently. Before the monitor could respond to Thran's question Shepard spoke up. It was time for her to represent her Galaxy.

"There's something called the Flood that has attacked our Galaxy. Its a parasitic organism that is starting to infect our civilian populations. Our military's are trying to hold them off but I do not know how long they can manage that. Their ships are far superior to our own and if this last Reclaimer can help us... I will do anything to obtain his help and save sky Galaxy." Shepard stated leaning over on the table. Her voice had been strong and loud. The reaction was not one she expected.

"The parasite?!" Several elites yelled. A few even got to their feet and roared. The grunts seems to cower deeper into their seats and covered their faces. One elite stood up and raise ships fist.

"We must burn them to the ground! We must destroy them once and for all!" He roared. He drew a weapon. A hilt of some sort. He activated it bringing to life a sword made of pure energy. Two blades protruded up out of each side creating an almost V like sword. Shepard had seen this sword before. One of the flood forms she had seen had wielded such a weapon.  
Shepard looked back to Thran'. Unlike his brethren he sat calm and collected. He raised his hands and ordered silence. The other immediately complied. He put his hands backs together and took a deep breath before speaking again.

"We have stories of the parasite called the flood. We know of them and their capability of destruction. They destroyed the Reclaimers and the old Covenant. Now I ask you why should I risk my people and our safety to help your people? Your galaxy will fall even with my help." Thran's voice was remorseful but his tone indicated he was not willing to change his mind, still Shepard had to try.

"Because the last Reclaimer knows how to beat them." Reluctant Promise stated. Shepard was grateful he was helping her out. She honestly had no response to Thran's claim.

"How?" Thran' asked.

"I don't know. We must ask him himself. We need to speak to The Arbiter." Reluctant Promise stated again. Thran's' and the other kites and grunts stared at the monitor and Shepard wild eyed. Shepard had heard that name before but she had come to the conclusion he was dead. How could someone love for over two billion years?

"How do know that name..." One of the golden armored elites asked in shock.

"I know his name because he helped the last reclaimer debate the flood a long time ago..." The motion stated softly. Shepard turned and looked at him in shock.

"You never told me that." She attend beginning to feel her anger rise at him.

"You didnt ask."

"You told me the flood defeated the UNSC and her allies."

"And they did."

"So how could they have defeated them if they were defeated?" Thran's asked confused by the monitors statements.

"I'm sure you know of the Great War?" The monitor stated. The elites and grunts all nodded. They had all read the ancient history. The Great War was the time before the peace between the UNSC and Covenant. They all hated the prophets.

"Good. Well at the end of the Great War the last Reclaimer and The Arbiter fought together against the Flood on something called the Ark with a band of UNSC and elite ships as their aid. They were able to eradicate the Flood from the Galaxy once and for all. However they did not anticipate the Floods return. They never knew the Flood had originated outside the Galaxy." The monitor stated boredly.

"Wait the Flood originated outside the Galaxy?" Shepard asked baffled.

"And I know of these stories of ancient times. How still can they defeat the parasite? As you said all of the gods installations were destroyed. There is no ark left to defeat the flood." Thran' added.

"To answer your question Shepard, yes they did which is why the Survived. And to answer your question Fleet Master, my creators creation may all but be destroyed, but the Reclaimers still have many hidden secrets out there and only the Last Reclaimer knows of them and only The Arbiter knows where he is." Reluctant Promise stated.

"So you want me to help you based on the assumption that this Reclaimer knows how to defeat the parasite?" Thran' stated.

"Yes." Shepard stated. Thran's looked her and the monitor over. He pondered what to do. His heart said one thing while his mind said another. He hated having to make tough decisions but he would never complain about it. It was a part of his honor to make the choices only he could make for his people.

"This is non sense. We don't want to risk our people for a simple guess." One elite said

"The parasite will find us now that they are in the galaxy. Its only a matter of time." Another elite retorted.

"We've hidden for a billion years and they haven't found us yet." A grunt stated in his high pitched annoying voice.

"Because they didn't care about you." Shepard hissed. The entire rooms eyes fell upon her.

"You don't think an enemy with the capability of defeating the Reclaimers and the Covenant of old along with your gods, the forerunners, doesn't have the capability to find your hidden planet?" Shepard stated.

"They'll find you eventually and they'll destroy all of you. They could even be on their way here right now!" She exclaimed raising her voice. Reluctant Promise was impressed. She had gotten a quick grasp on what he had told her.

A few elites and grunts began to object but Thran' silenced them with the raising of one of his hands. He breathed in and out. His mind was racing with all of his possible choices.

Thran' stood up. He looked at the other elites and the grunts before looking at Commander Shepard.

"This matter is not for me to decide. Follow me but only Commander Shepard and the monitor. The rest stay here." Thran' stated. He walked over to a corner in the room and pressed his palm against the wall. A piece of the wall next to him slide up and revealed a secret elevator. If Thran' had never opened up the wall Shepard and her team wouldve never even known it was there. The secret elevator was different from the one Shepard had used earlier. The metal lining it was old and the purple of the metal was showing sighs of fading away. There were no lights on the elevator, just a single button of to the side that glowed a bright blue.

Thran' pressed the button and stood in front of the elevator with crossed arms.

Shepard exchanged a glance with both Garrus and Jacqueline before walking over to the elite. She ignored the stared from the other elites and grunts and stood next to Thran', crossing her arms as well. Reluctant Promise floated up next to the two and stayed silent much to Shepard's surprise.

Moments later the doors slid open revealing a similar interior car as the elevators earlier. Thran' stepped in, Shepard and the monitor following his lead and stepping inside after him. Shepard managed to sneak a tensed look at Garrus before the doors slid shut. She had no idea what to expect. All she knew is that they were going to meet The Arbiter, a two billion year old being. She wondered how this would turn out.

* * *

Shepard stepped out of the elevator. The ride down had taken a lot longer than she had originally anticipated. When they had rode up earlier towards the meeting room it had only taken a few minutes at most but this one had taken at least twenty minutes, which felt even longer with Reluctant Promises constant questions of Thran'. She wondered where they were as she gazed around.

They had been left off in a huge cavern. Shepard could see the water dripping from the ceiling as well as running down the walls as she let out foggy breath. It was rather cold in the cavern, fortunately Shepard's armor kept her mostly insulated. Ten Elites in pure black armor stood on each side of the cavern. They all turned to Shepard and stared at her before looking away. Shepard could see their muscles tense up. A few dim blue lights lite the cavern, reflecting off the water to give the cavern a spiritual feeling. What most surprised Shepard however was not the cavern or the elites or the lights, but what laid at the very end of the cavern.

It was large a cylindrical shaped with a rectangular glass panel on the front. The glass was covered with ice obscuring whatever was inside. Huge tubes and wires protruded out from it and buried themselves deep into the wall behind the structure. The metal was ancient and sleek. The gray metal covered in what seemed to be ice sheets. Blue lights pulsates along the sleek metal. A medium sized pedestal was next to it, a blue holographic display on top of it. It reminded Shepard of the installation back on Rannoch but the metal design was slightly different.

"Come commander." Thran' stated softly as he walked past her, Reluctant Promise already on his heels.

Shepard followed him wary of the elites around her. She hoped Thran' was a kind leader. If he wasn't she knew shed be dead in seconds. She shrugged off her worries and kept going forward. Thran' raised his hand for them to stop when they reached a few feet in front of the cylindrical shaped object.

Thran' walked forward to the pedestal and pressed in a series of commands to complicated for Shepard to follow. Shepard stole a glance at Reluctant Promise whom was just staring at the object before them. She wondered what the AI could possibly be thinking about.

Suddenly a hiss filled the room. Air vented out from the side of the object and the ice that encased the glass and covered the metal began to quickly melt away creating a puddle on the floor before them. Thran' walked back over to them as the glass panel lifted up and disappearing into the metal behind it. Steam and fog escaped and covered the object for a few seconds. Shepard felt her heart racing in anticipation. She wanted to see this Arbiter.

A loud thud echoed through the Cavern. Thran' and the other elites all got down on one knee with a fist over their chests.

They all chanted together something in their own language. Shepard quickly glanced back at them before turning back to the object.

Before her was a large... Very large elite on one knee and fist planted on the ground. His breath was heavy. His armor was an old silver and had the design of what seemed to be ancient times. Shepard stood her ground. And slowly and surely the elites head slowly raised up and stared Shepard straight in the eyes. His eyes were menacing and powerful yet somehow trusting and understanding.

"I am the Arbiter and Why have I been awaken?"

* * *

_My lord we have discovered the Knight..._

Good. Destroy him.

The voice and face are already moving to destroy the solider and the hero it would be pointless to destroy the knight.

Hmmm... Watch the soldiers and hero's actions. If they get too far kill the knight and then the cycle will finally end and we will win...

Agreed...

* * *

**A/N hope you guys liked it! I should be updating more regularly now that summers here! if any questions leave a review! Please review! Thanks again for reading and god bless! Let me know if there's anything I can fix or clear up and I will do my best to fix it.**


	7. Part I Chapter 5

A/N This chapter I'm not too proud of it but oh well. hope you enjoy.

* * *

**Part I**

The voice and face of all evil

Chapter 5: The Reapers

* * *

The Arbiter slowly stood up. He felt his muscles burn with latic acid. He breathed in the air, filling his lungs for the first time is ten thousand years. He flexed his hands and feet getting the blood to flow back into his appendages. He looked down at the human before him. She was small and looked rather fragile. Yet she had a look in her eyes that the Arbiter found impressive. Though she looked fragile, the Arbiter refrained from making any quick assessments. If there was one thing he learned it was that humans were unpredictable. He straightened his back and let out a small roar. Finally he looked back at the human and repeated his question.

"Why have you awaken me?" He asked in his deep voice.

Commander Katherine Shepard snapped out of her trance. She was completely in awe of the elite before her. She noticed how his stance oozed authority and honor. Finally she remembered that she needed to reply but again the monitor beat her to it.

"Greetings I am Reluctant Promise! Monitor of installation 345! We have come to ask of your assistance in locating the one designated as the last Reclaimer." The monitor started.

_Right to the point then..._ Shepard sighed in her mind. She stole a glance at Thran' and noticed him staring at the monitor with annoyance. She quietly chuckled to herself.

The Arbiter looked at the monitor with questioning eyes. He moved forward and noticed the humans attention immediately snap back to him. He noticed her fists slightly tense up. He wondered why she was so jumpy. Last time he had been awake humans and the elites were on good terms, then again that had been thousands of years ago.

"Why do fear me human?" He asked ignoring the monitors statement.

Shepard felt the rooms eyes fall on her again. She slowed her breathing and tried her best to sound confident.

"My name is Commander Katherine Shepard and trust me I don't fear anyone." She said with fire. The Arbiter looked at her impressed. He hadn't seen a human with so much fire in her in a long time... Then again he hadn't seen any human in a long time.

"And why are you here Commander?" He asked.

"Same reason as him." Shepard stated nodding towards Reluctant Promise. He nodded as he looked back at the monitor.

"Monitor you speak of the last reclaimer?" He asked.

"Yes. We need his help to save the Galaxy from the parasite." Reluctant Promise replied.

"Hmmmm..." The Arbiter looked to Thran', whom had finally stood up along with the rest of the elites.

"What is your name Fleet Master?" He asked.

"Thran' Freedum sir." Thran' replied with a voice in awe. Shepard noticed this. She concluded that Thran' had never met the Arbiter before. She wondered how long the Arbiter had been asleep.

"Thran' take me outside. I wish to feel the rain once again. Commander, Monitor, please join us." The Arbiter said waking forward towards the elevator. Thran' followed hastily while Shepard and the monitor exchanged a glance before following the true leader of the Covenant.

* * *

Shepard held onto the railing for dear life. Her hands were freezing and her hair was whipping about. She could've sworn she felt ice crystals beginning to form on them. Rain pounded away at her. She felt the chill even through her armor.

Katherine gritted her teeth together as she tightened her grip to the railing on the roof of the building. She cursed herself for going out onto the roof outside the penthouse. She hadn't wanted the Arbiter or Thran' thinking any less of her just cause she wouldn't go out into a measly storm, but now she was having second thoughts. This storm was far from measly. It was a monster of another level entirely.

Shepard watched through squinted eyes as the Arbiter just stood on the roof, neck stretched out towards the sky, eyes closed and standing still despite the force of the wind and rain. Even Thran' was having to balance himself on the railing, and the monitor, even with his advance anti gravity technology, was still having to fight against the force of the storm. She didn't understand how on earth this eight foot tall elite could just stand there through this monster storm and not even move a muscle.

The Arbiter breathed in deeply. He could here the commander struggling against the forces of nature. He was impressed She was still holding on. It meant two things. She was determined and strong. He stared up into the clouds and let his memories flood back to him. All the bad and all the good. It was torment and relief.

Lightning tore through the sky above the building. Thunder roared and almost obliterated Shepard's ear drums. She couldn't believe how loud thunder was when it was close by. She wondered how tall the building was for them to be up in the heart of this storm. The rain alone was torment but the wind, lightning, thunder and now hail were just making it even worse for her.

Shepard pulled her head down as the hail began to pour. She could here Thran' grunt as the hail began to hit him. A piece of hail smacked her in the back of the head, and for a split second Shepard lost her grip of the railing. The wind tore her hands from the railing entirely only a few moments later.

"Commander!" Thran and the monitor both yelled, yet Shepard couldn't hear them over the wind and thunder. She felt herself slip on the wet roof. As she lost her footing a gust of wind that rivaled that of hurricane wind slammed into her and pulled her. She felt her side hit the railing she had once held onto for dear life. She felt her weight and momentum turn against her as she kept going, and finally she flipped over the railing. Shepard saw her life flash before her eyes.

Suddenly a large hand grabbed hers, yanking her back up with relative ease. She looked up at her savior. The Arbiter stared her in the eyes. His eyes full of pain, anger and vengeance. Yet it wasn't evil. It was justice he wanted, and Shepard could tell that much just from the look in his eyes. He pulled her over the railing and instead of setting her down, he pulled her into his arms, and like a child, carried her. Thran' and the monitor followed the elite and Commander as the Arbiter made his way through the shield of the penthouse and inside.

The top floor of the enormous building was a entire penthouse meant for Thran', though he hardly spent any time here since he thought he deserved no more than his fellow soldiers and normally lived in a regular apartment across the road.

The penthouse was nice and furnished. It had a circular display that reminded Shepard of a TV hanging on the front wall. It had slick couches, paintings, and a fully furnished kitchen and bedroom for Thran'. It also had a large fireplace that was designed with grace and elegance. Shepard thought everything looked too slick, too purple and just far too alien for her liking.

The Arbiter walked over to one of the smaller couches and set her down while Thran' turned the shields onto full power, a basic lock so to speak.

Shepard sat up and stared at the elite with bewildered eyes. She felt embarrassed that she had to be saved but she was even more confused why he had saved her. She had known him only for a few minutes and yet he had already saved her life once. That was not a debt she could live down.

The Arbiter didn't even glance back at her, and turned away from the commander walking over to the fireplace. He pressed on a button, Shepard watched as a fire suddenly bursted to life in the fireplace. Water dripped from his skin and armor and onto the floor.

The monitor floated over to Shepard. An orange light appeared from his central 'eye' as he scanned the commander.

"You seem to be fine commander though your facial expression suggests otherwise." Reluctant Promise stated.

Shepard didn't even bother to look back at the monitor. She just nodded her head towards the Arbiter.

The monitor understood her gesture.

"I'm not sure either." He whispered to her. Thran' walked over to the two, holding a towel over his shoulder and another in his hand.

"Commander." He said holding out the towel. Shepard eyed him cautiously before taking the towel.

"Thank you." She replied unsurely. She wondered why these elites were so kind to her. She didn't even know them and yet they were being truly kind, not just good hosts. Thran' gave her a curt nod then looked over at the Arbiter. His face seemed to twist in confusion. Shepard understood. He too was confused by how the Arbiter was acting. Like her he had expected a glorious leader who would be proud, loud and yet strong. He had expected the Arbiter to be glorious, yet this Arbiter was quiet and modest. He didn't seem to proud of himself but something told Thran' there was much more to him than meets the eye.

Shepard took a breath and stood up from the couch, but the Arbiter beat her to it.

"I saved you Commander because it was the right thing to do." He stated turning around towards her.

"I have met evil humans and elites. Even evil Forerunners." He said nodding towards the monitor. "However I can tell you are not one of these. You seem proud and strong yet have a sense of duty. You remind me of myself when I was younger. Ready to fight and to charge head on into things without thinking. Be careful with your pride Commander. It could kill you one day." He turned back towards the fireplace, missing the bare from Shepard.

Shepard felt herself blush with anger.

_How dare he... _She seethed in her mind.

"How on earth could you know that after knowing me for only half an hour at best?" She asked through gritted teeth.

"No human with any sense would've gone into that storm the way you did. So you are either very confident and proud in your abilities or you are just a fool." The Arbiter opened his mandibles and let out a yawn.

"Judging by your rank as commander, and by the way you present yourself, I believe you are just proud. Though I have been wrong before." The Arbiter said after he finished yawning.

Shepard took a few steps towards him. She didn't mind to much when people criticized her but for someone to make such ridiculous claims was something else.

"Look." She stated trying to keep her temper suppressed. "I may seem proud and confident but Im not... At least not entirely. I went out into that storm because you did." Shepard replied.

"But why?" The Arbiter asked never once losing his calm composure.

Shepard sighed and walked over to the shields. She looked out at the storm, and even behind the shields she could still feel the cold rain and the terrible wind.

"Other species have always looked down on humans. I didn't want you to think the same just because I wouldn't walk out into a stupid storm." She knew it was a stupid reason but it was the truth. it had taken years for himanity to become equals with the council races and still there were times that himans were frowned upon. She had wanted to prove to the Arbiter that humans were just as strong as elites, that they were equals.

She turned back to the Arbiter with her defiant gaze.

"That's why I went out there." She finished crossing her arms. The Arbiter simply nodded. He finally turned away from the fire to face the others.

"You wish to find the last reclaimer to save your Galaxy?" He asked clasping his hand behind his back.

Shepard nodded while the monitor simply agreed.

"And how do you wish to accomplish this?"

Shepard looked at the monitor.

"Well We know the forerunner installation is far out of the Galaxy. To great of a distance for the Commanders ships to travel without slip-space capabilities and the forerunner craft is damaged, its slip-space was only capable of two jumps and we used them already." Reluctant Promise informed and for once he didn't sound peppy or annoying but actually concerned, however, Shepard felt a twinge of anger. Why hadn't he told her the craft was useless till now? She really needed to have a talk with him about sharing important information.

"And what do you want me to do?" The Arbiter asked still calm. Shepard looked at him.

"I want you to help us. If you have any way of getting there then help us. If not then give me a ship and ill never bother you again... Besides your the only one who knows where this last Reclaimer is and if Reluctant Promise here is right then he's the only one who can save my galaxy. " Shepard felt relived. Finally their request was out and now she just needed an answer. Even if he didn't help her personally, they could use a ship and a location. If all else failed she would just get the location and shed figure out how to get there later.

"I wish to help commander, but alas I do not know where the last Reclaimer is." The Arbiter turned back to the fire. Shepards world slowed down. She replayed his words in her head. Over and over again. She looked at the monitor, her anger towards him boiling up to the surface.

"You said he'd know!" She hissed. She was so angry. So defeated. There went her only chance at saving the Galaxy.

"My information dictates that he does... He is either lying or my information is outdated." The monitor said looking only at the leader of the covenant. Shepard glanced back at the Arbiter. His shoulders heaved as he released a sigh.

"Your information is outdated. I once knew where he was... Alas I no longer know... I am sorry." The Arbiters voice was heavy as he closed his eyes.

Shepard gritted her teeth together and clenched her fists. This had all been a waste of time. They had trying to find someone and they didn't even know where he was. She could've been helping her Galaxy this whole time. This whole time she could've been looking for a real solution not the hero of some lost time. They had defeated the Reapers, they could defeat the flood. Shepard didn't even say anything as she turned away. She was the only one to move, the monitor and Thran' being deathly silent. She reached the door, and the door slid open. She lifted her foot to take a step out when a voice rang out.

"Commander I do not know where he is but is I do know how to find him." The Arbiter called out. She blinked a few times trying to register what he had said and turned back the group.

"How?" She asked with a col and confused voice. The Arbiter didnt reply. Before anyone could continue he strode forward and kneeled down onto the floor. He stood back up, pulling the hologram up with him. He expanded his arms to their full length and the hologram of the Galaxy engulfed the room. Shepard gasped slightly at the sudden movement. The Arbiter looked around in front of him and touched a planet to his right, the hologram suddenly shrank and formed into the planet selected in front of the arbiter.

"The things is Commander. Is that I once knew where he was but now I do not. My current body does not know where he is thanks to the trails of time fading my memory however there is a way for me to remember. On this planet before lies a facility of Covenant origin, deep within the planets surface. Inside is a small room with a powerful computer. I put the coordinates of his location within the computer. The room can only be opened by myself and a few others. If it were attempted to be breached a subroutine would send off an alarm to my armor and would transport me and any other Sangheili within in twenty feet, to the location to stop the breach. Otherwise the facility only runs a few subroutines, one of which is a signal that detects a any seismic scans or any scan in general, that runs over the base. It detects the signal and absorbed the signal. It decodes the signal, rewrites the signal and sends it back out to its point of origin. When it rewrites it, the signal is rewrote to tell its point of origin that nothing is down below, therefore being able to avoid any detection." The Arbiter clicked on a select spot on the planet, zooming in on it.

"That seems rather advance..." Shepard said with a raised eyebrow of disbelief.

"Its is. It was made by the humans of my time. The ones you refer to as Reclaimers." The Arbiter stated. Shepard exchanged a glance with Thran'. Even the elite had been impressed by the technology.

"This is where we must go if you what to find the last Reclaimer." The Arbiter continued.

"We?" Shepard asked.

"You need me to open the door to the facility." The Arbiter simply stated. Shepard nodded and looked back at that planet.

"So where is this planet?" Shepard asked studying its surface. It seemed familiar but she couldn't place it.

"These are the coordinates to its location." The Arbiter pulled up a series of numbers. Shepard looked at them. She raised her arm, activating her omni tool and input the coordinates. She waited a second till the coordinate were found. Her head shot back slightly in surprise.

"Thessia?" She asked out loud. The Arbiter looked back at her.

"Is that its new name?" He asked.

"Yes. It is home to race of humanoids called the Asari." The monitor stated joining the conversation.

"Yes... Its old name was..." The Arbiter started but a beeping on Shepard's omni tool interrupted him. Shepard frowned as she answered the call.

"What is it Garrus?" She asked annoyed.

"Shepard its Thessia. Its under attack." Garrus's voice was dark and filled with concern.

"What?!" Shepard yelled. She had been gone for a little more than a few days and now the Asari capital was already under attack.

"Yeah not good. Hacketts trying to get a hold of you on the Vitcom." Garrus informed. Shepard nodded.

"Get ready we're leaving"

She looked at the Arbiter.

"So are you gonna help us or not?"

* * *

The Normandy fell out of the mass effect stream and rocketed towards Thessia, the planet growing larger as they approached. Shepard paced back and forth angrily. She had talked to Hackett and Anderson and both had confirmed Thessias distress signals. However the Alliance and Salarians fleet were already to spread thin to help. Shepard didnt what to see what was attacking Thessia. The signals had been cut off before the Asari could confirm anything but Hackett had had his suspicions, and least of all they unnerved her.

With the signals gone Shepard and her team were being sent to see what happened to Thessia. She couldn't believe she had wasted her time with those elites. The Arbiter had wanted to help but the council had refused not even a single ship or weapon had been given to aid her and her crew. The only thing she was grateful for was the Quarians and Geths safe transport back to the galaxy but all that time wasted on a false lead pissed her off. She don't even bother to look at the monitor. She wanted to rip him apart piece by piece. He had convinced her to waste her time the elites and now Thessia was paying the price. She could've been helping fortify and commanding troops. Instead she had been conversing with squid heads.

"Commander we are approaching the planet." The deep voice rang out over the war room. The Arbiter approached the holotable with crossed arms. She still couldn't believe he had come along. Shepard grinned slightly to herself. At least she got one good thing out of this, maybe her time with the elites hadn't been a complete waste. They could find the reclaimer with The Arbiters help but they had no way to get to him. She frowned at the thought.

The Arbiter sighed. It pained him to separate from his people but after listening to the councils arguments of being safe by being hidden and how they needed to keep out of Galactic affairs to protect themselves, he realized how ignorant they were. They would die if they didn't act, just as they almost died during the Great Schism. Once again it was on the Arbiters shoulders to save his people, even if they didn't know it. Thran' hadn't been happy about his departure but as leader of the Covenant, The Arbiter had certain rights. If only those rights had been enough to convince the council. Even as the leader, they had refused him. He was not surprised. He didn't expect to just wake up and for them to follow him without question. Those actions had almost killed them in the past.

Holograms of the planet and its surroundings finally came to life on the war rooms holotable.

"Shepard look..." Ashley gasped in horror. Shepard didn't look though. She was just staring at the table, completely ignoring her surroundings, lost in thought.

"Shepard we have an incoming distress signal coming form Thessia. Short range." EDI stated over the comms.

_Just like Rannoch..._ Shepard thought to herself.

"Patch it through." Shepard replied coming back to the real world. EDI patched the voice through.

"Commander Shepard! Thank the Gods!" Lithyia cried over the comms. Gunfire could be heard in the back round along with terrifying screams.

"Lithyia! What's going on down there?" Shepard said leaning onto the railing of the war room.

"Shepard its bad. We're getting demolished. Our fleets in orbit are getting obliterated. We've lost already half of our major cities and seventy percent of the country side. We've been trying to get civilians out of here but its impossible. The odds are overwhelmingly against us."

"I can see..." Shepard mumbled. Her grip tightened on the railing, her knuckles turning white.

"Lithyia what measures have you implanted against the flood invasion force." Shepard asked looking up to the hologram. She needed to see what they were up against. Her heart dropped when she finally saw what Ashley had been talking about.

"Shepard this isn't the Flood. Its the Reapers they're back."

* * *

Thran' paced back and forth. He slammed a fist on the table and roared angrily.

"How can you all be so foolish?! Inaction is not the way to protect our people!" He yelled at the others surrounding the round table. The others exchanged glances.

"Thran' the parasite have no idea where we are. No one does. If we stay hidden we can protect our specie's survival indefinitely." One of the golden armored elites retorted calmly.

"Bah! They will find us! And our honor demands we help our human allies!" Thran' roared.

"These allies don't even remember us! Why should we help them when they don't even know we exist?" Another elite stated.

"Beside the parasite cannot find us. They haven't in billions of years." A third stated.

"They will! I guarantee it! We cannot hide forever like bumbling cowards! They came to us for aid and yet we refuse and sentence their galaxy to a doomed fate at the hands of the parasite!? They parasite will destroy the, without us! We cannot just abandon them in such a hour of peril!" Thran' said leaning on the table.

"Thran' we cannot risk our own safety for theirs. If they are to die so be it." The first elite stated. Thran' glared at him. Sometimes he hated democracy.

"If you won't help. Then I shall." He hissed.

"Thran'..." Another elite warned.

"I will resign if we do nothing." He threatened.

"Thran' we cannot be so reckless."

"Yet the Arbiter, our leader, went without question to their aid."  
"He believes in old customs. Times have changed."

Thran' sighed. He had read the stories of elites and their once glorious honor.

"If only they hadnt..." Thran' mumbled to himself As he finally conceded.

* * *

_They have refused to help the hero..._

Good. Continue to plant doubt and we will eventually be rid of them.

Agreed.

What of the hero now? They travel to find him...

The Reapers are once again in play they should suffice in dealing with her..

She defeated them once...

Embodiment... It is time to release the hounds...

Agreed...

She will not survive against them...

She will not indeed...

* * *

A/N so yes times have changed and the elites are now cowardly. I mean they've almost been exterminated twice if not three times, of course they're going to be wary. The Arbiter of course has been in a similar position and once again Is the only one who remembers the danger the flood posses just as he understood what firing the Halo Array would do. Please Review and sorry if anyone was too OCC. thanks for reading! God Bless You All!


	8. Part I Chapter 6

**Part I **

**The Voice and Face of all evil**

**Chapter Six: Race to the temple**

* * *

Shepard scanned the battle raging over Thessia. Reaper capital ships were decimating the defending Asari fleets, and with the rest of the Galaxy busy with the parasite she knew no help would be coming. She studied the scenario. She wished they could help Thessia but the Normandy couldn't take on a whole invading Reaper fleet by itself and she had her orders. Save Lithyia.

The thing was she had another task to complete besides that one. Find the hidden Covenant installation.

If this had been fourteen years ago, before the first Reaper war, then she would have never gone to complete another task over her orders. However, from experience she knew that this risk had to be taken. Katherine personally believed Reluctant Promises and if he was right then everything depended on getting the last reclaimer to help her, and to find him she needed to find that installation.

"Lithyia what is your location?" Shepard asked her voice void of emotion as she pulled her mind back into the present after a millisecond of thought.

"We're in the Prothean temple." Lithyia stated, gunfire echoing in background with the all too familiar scream of a husk.

"Of course." Shepard sighed under her breath. Memories flooded her mind as she remembered her last mission to the Prothean temple during the Reaper War.

"All right listen up. Lithyia you and your troops need to hold that position as long as you can. We'll be down as soon as possible. Keep the radio open in case I need to contact you." Shepard ordered.

"Yes Shepard." The councilor responded a hint of panic in her voice.

"Shepard what about the Arbiter?" Liara asked once the councilors transmission had cut off.

"What about him?" Shepard replied.

"Have you told Hackett or anyone about him?" LIara asked.

"No. At least not yet. As of right now we need him, and I don't need any bull shit regulations keeping him from helping us." Shepard replied. Liara nodded understanding exactly where Shepard was coming from. Politics and regulations had almost cost them the first war with the Reapers.

All the while Shepard had come up with a suitable plan of action.

"Garrus, Liara, Legion suit up. We're departing in ten. EDI tell Cortez to get the shuttle ready. Also find me the nearest and relatively safest landing point to the temple. Arbiter." Shepard said turning to the giant elite. He looked at her with neither cold nor friendly eyes. They were determined. Determined and ready to kill.

"Arbiter, put in the coordinates for the installation on the holotable, we need to know exactly what were looking for." The Arbiter walked forward, calmly slipping past Shepard, and entered the coordinates onto the holotable. A green light popped up and hovered on the location of the Prothean temple. Shepard glanced at the hologram skeptically.

"Are you sure you entered those coordinates right?" Shepard asked in disbelief.

"Yes." The Arbiter answered not understanding her skepticism.

"Well this is just too easy." She stated in all seriousness. She looked away from the holotable, heading towards the hall that lead to the galaxy room and the elevator.

"EDI contact Hackett. Tell him..." Shepard took a deep breath as the Arbiter followed after her.

"Tell him the Reapers are back..."

* * *

Shepard held onto the inner railing of the shuttle. She could her the sounds of distant gunfire and the occasional explosion of a rocket that indicated the Asari forces trying to repel the invading Reapers. Despite the recent advances in weaponry, the Reapers substantial numbers and weaponry was still to much for the Asaris small military.

A loud explosion went off nearby causing the shuttle to shake violently for a few seconds. Shepard checked her weaponry and armor. Everything was functioning perfectly. She clenched her hand around her rifle in her free hand. She really didn't feel like fighting the Reapers again.

"Ready up guys. ETA thrifty seconds." Cortez stated over the com channel.

"All right get ready. We're two miles out from the Prothean temple. We'll have an Asari special ops team backing us up all the way there. We'll have to be careful seeing as the Reapers control mostly the whole area around the temple. There's a small choke point between two buildings next to the temple, we'll have to go through there to get to the temple with the least amount of resistance. Once there Garrus, you and the others are to secure a landing zone for evac. Me and the Arbiter will head down into the temple, locate the installation, grab the coordinates and meet you back up top. If we don't make it back you are to leave and get Lithyia to a safe zone as soon as possible even if it means leving us behind. Saving the councilor is top priority right now." Shepard released the railing after her instructions were given. Though she trusted the Arbiter she didn't trust him enough to go the installation without any supervision. What if he had been lying to her?

She shrugged in her armor, adjusting it to her shoulders one final time, and walked up next to the sliding door. Garrus and Liara stood up from their respective seats, each of them doing a quick check up on their weapons. Legion was already standing and just moved behind Shepard. The Arbiter was in the back of the Shuttle his arms crossed.

Shepard spared the Arbiter a glance. He was very quiet and reserved only speaking when spoken to, or when a question he knew the answer to was left unanswered. She glanced at the weapon on his back. A dark purple color, long and bulbous like the elites ships. She wondered briefly about what the weapons were capable of when she heard the shuttle door suddenly open.

She looked back outside as the shuttle lowered down to a five foot hover above the ground. The shuttle was of to the side of the courtyard behind a couple of trees that helped them in avoiding any unwanted attention.

Gunfire laced across the courtyard of the building in front of her. A rocket flew from one side to the other engulfing a small pillar in flames.

Smoke raised up into the air from various shuttles and cars that had been destroyed as well as from the various building on fire. Bodies littered the courtyard. Dozens of dead Asari and Husk laid about with bullet holes or claw marks gashed into their bodies.

She quickly assed the battle and determined who controlled what side. The Asari controlled the right side of the courtyard whole the husk controlled the left. She saw a downed shuttle in the center of the courtyard.

"Go! To the shuttle!" Shepard yelled after the two seconds it had taken to survey the battlefield. The group charged from the shuttle creating a diamond shaped formation as they ran for the nearby cover behind the downed shuttle, their backs to the Asari on their right. The group let loose a small barrage of bullets as they moved swiftly to the cover. They ducked behind the cover, Shepard being the last and legion being the first to get behind the shuttle. She noticed the Arbiter was not with them. Her heart sank with fear as she wondered where he was but quickly pushed away the thoughts as the screech of a husk brought her back to reality.

Shepard looked up over the shuttle. She noticed several husk and marauders approaching their position. She opened fire with her Avenger rifle successfully taking out two husks. She ducked down as several shots soared over her head. She glanced to the debris behind them. She counted around a dozen Asari still standing and firing their weapons.

"Laira find us a route around this!" Shepard ordered before she again opened fire.

Liara opened her omni tool and quickly drew up a map of their surroundings area while the others covered her.

"Shepard there's an alley too our right between two buildings! It'll get us away from this firefight and give us cover for a block or two." Liara stated closing her omni tool.

Katherine looked to her right. She noticed several pile of debris laying out in the courtyard before the courtyard connected to the alley between the two buildings. The alley was small but it seemed to have escaped most of the fighting.

"All right. Garrus give me and Liara cover fire. Legion, you and me are gonna make a run for that alley. Once we're there we'll give cover fire and you two sprint for us." Shepard quickly looked back to the Asari still fighting from the debris, wondering if they were ever going to contact her and her team. Apparently they were too busy fighting the Reaper forces behind Shepard to really care about their arrival which was somehting Shepard could understand.

"Now!" Shepard yelled. She burst from behind the downed shuttle and made a full sprint, while simultaneously firing her rifle towards the Reapers forces. Legion sprinted after her, his mechanical legs carrying him faster than hers.

Garrus and Liara both popped out of cover and opened fire with their rifles. They gunned down several husks and a few marauders.

Shepard ducked her head as she ran avoiding a round from a marauders weapon. She sent out a biotic blast towards the marauder forcing it back into cover.

Katherine and Legion dove into the alley as a rocket soared past them. The explosion slammed into the side of the building behind them and blew a hole in the wall, showering the two with debris.

The Commander quickly got to her feet, ironing the debris flailing off her armor. She looked back to the downed shuttle, and watched Garrus and Liara both duck behind it and reload their weapons. Legion got up beside her, the two took positions next to corner of the building in front of them and opened fire. The Reaper forces having momentarily forgotten about them were shredded by the combined fire of the spectre and the Geth.

Liara and Garrus, seeing their two squad mates momentarily distract the Reapers ground forces, quickly sprinted from their cover and over to the alley.

Shepard's gun clicked empty as she spun back around into the cover of the alley, Legion moved up and increased his rate of fire covering her while she reloaded. She dispersed the empty thermal clip and slapped another one intro her rifle as Garrus and Liara stumbled into the alley only a split second. Legion finished the last few shots of his clip and slid back into the alley with the others. Shepard watched as the remaining Asari seemed to take advantage of the brief respite caused by Shepard and her squads assualt. They moved up on the courtyard and unleashed a barrage of biotics on the Reaper forces. The remaining Reaper forces fought back but were completely outmatched now that theirs numbers had been reduced. Shepard knew the Asari would win this skirmish. She turned away and started down the alley way in a jog holding her weapon at the ready, her group following after her.

The stomping of boots on the ground echoed through the alley as the group slowly made their way forward. Shepard and the others were openly wondering where the Arbiter was. Shepard knew he wasn't on the shuttle still. She had called Cortez and asked. So the only place he could be was on the ground, but where?

Katherine decided that if he didn't show up, she would leave without finding the installation and without him. After all according to the elite she would need him just to get inside.

"Liara where do we go from here?" Shepard asked as the alley finally opened up into a street. The sleek and curved Asari's version of cars littered the streets along with piles among piles of debris. Several downed shuttles were still smoking as they laid across the street, a few smashed into several cars. Dozens of bodies littered the ground. Most looked like Asari civilians. Shepard quickly glanced up and down the street. Aside from the cars and bodies, the street was empty. She could still here the bang of far off gunfire, but from what she could tell they were too far away for the shots to be of any worry.

A distinct low horn blasted through the air. Shepard and the others tensed as they heard it. Shepard located the source. A Reaper destroyer was off in the distance. She could the red flash as its main gun obliterated a small building. She let out a sigh of relief as she realized it was heading the opposite way.

"Shepard we need to take the left on this street. Then follow for a few more blocks before we get to our next turn." Liara stated.

"All right. Lets move. Liara keep me informed on where we need to go." The commander ordered. Liara nodded.

Katherine checked the streets once, making sure it was clear, then ordered her group to move. The moved together, swiftly and silently through the debris. Liara silently mourned the dead Asari.

They jogged past several destroyed vehicles, eventually taking a right down another alley that Liara told them to go down. For ten minutes they went completely unopposed as they ran down the alleys and streets of Thessia making their way to the Prothean temple as fast as they could. Shepard felt eyes on her. She scanned the area, looking up into each building as they ran, but could never find the source. She shrugged it off as her mind playing games but the feeling never completely left.

They trudged down another street coming to intersection when suddenly all hell broke lose. A rocket flew straight at the group and Liara was barely quick enough to raise a biotic shield. The rocket slammed into the shield, the force of the blast throwing the group back as dozens of marauders and husks suddenly emerged from the debris in the intersection.

Shepard rolled to her side, still laying on the ground and opened fire. Several husks fell before the marauders began to fire on Shepard.

The spectre rolled to her right as the bullets pelted the area around her. Serval rounds managed to hit her, draining her shields a fourth of the way before she reached cover. Shepard got into a crouch behind the cover and slapped in another fresh clip. She quickly checked for her team, discovering Liara was wounded behind a pile of rock on the other side of the street. She was applying medigel to a an obvious bullet wound while Legion covered her. Garrus was behind a car closer to them than Shepard, and was already returning fire to the Reaper forces. Shepard decided to help him and popped out of her cover unleashing half a clip before being forced back into cover. Shepard turned on her cryo ammo and prepared for another barrage when she heard heavy footsteps and growling. She immediately dove away from her cover as a brute fist came down obliterating the piece of ruble she had been hiding behind.

Shepard scrambled to her feet unloading her entire clip into the beasts armor. The brute turned towards her and charged. She dove out of the way at the last second, the brute smashing into a car that had been behind her.

Garrus and the others noticed the brute and prepared to open fire when marauders fired on them. The group was forced into cover, unable to help Shepard without getting shot themselves. Liara shot a biotic throw at the brute. The brute stumbled back as Katherine got to her feet. She unleashed another barrage of bullets and as the brute charged for her once more. She blasted a warp at him. The warp slammed into the brute, tearing away at its armor but not slowing it. The commander rolled out of the way. She spun to her feet and continued to open fire on the brutes back. The creature roared angrily then stormed back towards her.

Suddenly a gun smacked into the back of the commanders head. Shepard rolled onto her back to find a marauder standing over her. She twirled her legs managing to trip the marauder and spin on to her feet. The brute charged at her a third time. She tried to dive out of the way but wasn't quick enough this time.

The brute grabbed the commanders leg with an iron grip. With a swing of his arm he sent her flying over several destroyed cars. Shepard slammed into the street, her shields flaring as she tumbled harshly against the floor till she came to rest in front of another debris pile. She gasped for air, feeling a dull pain throbbing in her ribs.

By the time Katherine regained her sense's, and got back on her feet, the brute was already upon her. The brute swung its mighty arm trying to hit the commanders upper body with a fatal blow. Shepard rolled underneath the swing, she spun to her feet drawing her omni blade, and struck at the best. The blade effectively cut off a chunk of the brutes armor but it was two thick to cut straight through. Shepard ducked under another swing of the brutes arm, and rolled backwards, drawing her rifle at the same time. She unleashed a barrage of bullets, draining her entire clip by the time the brute was on her again. She dodged his next attack and hit him with a strong biotic blast. The beast stumbled back from the attack as Shepard's breath became staggered. She reloaded and unleashed another hail of fire on the brute. The creature, regaining his balance, charged straight at her.

Katherine watched as the beast approached her. She remembered how they fought. Their charge was fearsome but they couldn't really turn while charging and that little fact gave her the advantage she needed. She quickly side stepped to her left and hurdled over a destroyed car. The brute roared in anger as it stopped in its tracks and hurdled over the car after her. Shepard continued her sprint away from the beast and subsequently her friends. The brute charged after her while her team continued to deal with its allies. Shepard turned to face the brute, having gained enough distance and once again opened fire with her rifle. She could see the brutes armor finally beginning to chip away under her relentless assault.

She heard it too late.

As she fired on the brute she heard the heavy footsteps of another brute approaching behind her. She spun around to face the creature. It stood a few feet from her and lunged. The new brute smacked her rifle from her hands effectively shattering it into pieces. Shepard swore under her breath. Suddenly the brute she had been originally been fighting slammed into her and once again threw her. Instead of throwing her into the air like before he threw her against the wall of a nearby building.

The commander slammed into the wall feeling her body scream with pain, her lungs gasping for air, and a rib or two cracking underneath the force of the collision. She looked up seeing the two brutes feet in front of her. She scrambled to her feet only to get knocked back into the wall by one of the brutes. Her shields were completely drained by this point. Katherine knew she had once last chance. She drew all her energy into one biotic blast. She was moments from firing when suddenly a piercing white sword of blazing plasma cut straight through the arm if one of the brutes. The brute roared in pain. The second brute turned to face their new attacker.

The Arbiter stood before them, his plasma sword drawn in one hand, and an upgraded plasma riffle in the other. The two brutes charged the elite with a fury only rivaled by that of an enraged hunter.

The two monstrosities swung at the alien. The Arbiter easily sidestepped the two arms. He raised his rifle and unleashed a torrent of plasma in the armless brutes face. the brute stumbled back as its armor began to melt from the extreme heat. The second brute charged the elite, managing to slam into him a full force. Shepard watched in awe as the elite held his ground, feet planted and pushing back against the massive brute.

The Arbiter kicked off the brute, creating a good distance between the two. Again the brute roared and charged for him. Katherine could've swore she saw him grin, or at least an elite version of what she figured was a grin.

The Arbiter sidestepped the brute as it ran right past him. As the brute charged past him, he spun in a low circle, pulling out a what Shepard figured was just a blue grenade.

The elite lunged at the brute, activating the grenade. At the last second the Arbiter released the grenade, sliding past and around the brute in one fluid motion.

In a great explosion of blue, purple and white, the brute disintegrated from the heat of the plasma grenade, whatever pieces remained were charred and burned.

The Arbiter never changing his expression turned to face the already hurt brute. The brute was circling him, planning the best way to kill this new threat.

Finally it just decided to charge, and charge it did. The brute put everything it had into the charge determined to end the elites life quickly and brutally. However that never happened.

The Arbiter crouched down as the monster charged him. As it reached him, he sidestepped and with a quick and graceful slash he slid his sword straight through the body of the brute, severing its body into two whole pieces. The two chucks fell to the ground with a thud as the last of shots fired by Shepard's squad echoed through the street, her squad successfully defeating the Reaper ground forces.

Shepard pulled herself to her feet still in shock of what just happened. She couldn't even fathom how the elite had so quickly managed to kill two brutes in close quarters combat.

The Arbiter walked over to her, powering off his sword and sheathing his rifle.

"Are you ok human commander?" he asked with much concern. He looked her in the eye. Shepard was surprised to see true worry for her well being in his eyes.

"Yeah I'm fine. Nothing serious." She said waving him off. She pulled out her sub machine gun since her rifle was in shambles. Garrus and the others jogged up to the pair. They gave Shepard worried glances before Liara asked what the were all thinking.

"What happened? Are you ok Shepard?" Her Asari friend asked, voice full of concern as well.

"I'm fine. The brutes cornered me and if it wasn't for him" Shepard stated nodding towards the Arbiter. "I would probably be dead right now."

The group looked at the Arbiter.

"Thanks for watching her back" Garrus said with a curt nod that the Arbiter returned.

"Yes Thank you but I cant help but wonder where have you been until now? " LIara asked her voice null of any conviction but full of just true curiosity. The Arbiter noticed this and took no offense to the question.

"I was using what you humans would call active camouflage. I believed it would be best to keep myself hidden from the enemy so long as i wasn't needed. Then when the time was right I could surprise them when they least expected it." He stated.

"I was never more than thirty feet from the team." He added. Shepard felt a pinch of annoyance. She was more than grateful the elite had saved her but she was annoyed he hadn't told her. She didn't want him ending up like the monitor, doing whatever he wants whenever he sees fit. She had to say something since an attitude like that could easily get someone killed in the battle field.

"Arbiter, thank you for saving my life, but I have to ask that you please talk to me first about doing anything like that, at the very least at least let me know what your planning to do ahead of time. It could mean saving someones life one day." She said trying her best to be modest. The Arbiter simply nodded in return.

"I will respect your wishes Commander. My apologies for I forget that, here, I am not the commanding officer." The Arbiter stated sincerely.

"No apologies needed." Shepard replied with a shake of her head.

"Liara how far are we from the temple?" Shepard asked changing the conversations topic.

Liara typed in a few commands on her omni tool before looking back up at the people around her.

"We still have a little more than a mile to go." She responded. Shepard nodded.

"All right lets get going. We still have a job to do people." Shepard stated with a firm voice.

"Liara." She said implying for the Asari to lead the way. Liara nodded in acknowledgment to the order and moved past Shepard, in front of the group.

"We need to keep heading north." She stated. "Unfortunately there are a few buildings blocking us from a direct path. We will have to take the streets if we want to get there quickly. We need to take a right at this intersection."

"All right. Liara you let us know when we need to change direction. Lets move people." Shepard ordered.

The group took off in a light jog. They took a right down the intersection and continued down the street for a time, ignoring any bodies or debris that littered the road. Buildings smoked from hug craters or blasts in their sides. Shepard felt saddened. Thessia had barely finished rebuilding only a year before and now here they were again, at the whims of their strength fighting for existence against the Reapers.

The group came to a stop as they approached and intersection blocked off by vehicles. Shepard vaulted over the cars and her heart broke. In between the piles of cars, in between that last barricade was a group of Asari. There were old and young alike, and there were at least two dozen of them. Liara gasped and forced herself to hold back tears. Shepard grimaced. She kneeled down and closed the eyes of an Asari solider who died with a pistol in her hand.

"What have we done to deserve this?" Liara asked to no one in particular.

"There are few who deserve this." The Arbiter stated feeling the need to say something. Liara and Garrus both absent mindedly nodded.

Shepard silently agreed with both of them. She truly wondered what had the galaxy done to deserve this? To be attacked by Reapers and the Flood. She erased the thoughts and focused on the present. She could wonder about that later.

After an order from Shepard the group continued on. They turned left down the next street. Surprisingly they met no more resistance. However the group never let their guard down.

Shepard scanned the buildings. She felt off. She expected more resistance from the Reapers. She expected a lot more. She figured there wasn't as much resistance since the Asaris number were much lower than their first invasion of Thessia which meant the Reapers didn't have to throw millions upon millions of troops. They could use a lot less and still beat the planets inhabitants. She frowned at the thought. She could only imagine how easy it would be for them to conquer the galaxy with the Flood already taking care of the Turians and Krogans, leaving only the Systems Alliance and the few other space faring races of the galaxy to oppose them. The galaxy didn't stand a chance and she knew it. Thats why she needed the Arbiter. Thats why she needed to find this last reclaimer. If they could stop the Flood, then maybe they could stop the Reapers once more. It was a long shot but it was her only hope just how the crucible had been ten years ago.

Shepard leaped over a car, Thessia's star shining down on them as dusk approached. Her shadow flickered in the light of the flames from a destroyed car. What none of the group noticed is how Shepard's shadow flickered in the light, and suddenly slide away from its owner, into the shadows amongst the buildings.

* * *

The group slowed to a halt as they reached the end of the choke point between the two buildings near the temple. The temple and the whole surrounding area had been rebuilt from the ground up after the original Reaper war. Around the entire temple was a huge circular courtyard, buildings lining the edges of the courtyard. Fountains and various statues littered the courtyard. Many were destroyed and crumbling in all their magnificence. The temple itself was much grander. It was taller with sleeker walls and more lighting. Pillars and various debris lined the outside walls of the temple as its defending forces held out against the Reapers ground invasion. The other things different about the new temple was that it stretched under ground. Under ground was where all the research and testing of the protean ruins happened. They left nothing of importance on the surface. They learned no to after the first reaper war when the beacon was stolen from them.

The small squad watched as gunfire flew across this courtyard. Most of the gunfire pelted the temple as husks and brutes charged the temple. They watched as the defenders form the temple returned fire. Rockets and turrets opened fire as the husks and brutes got closer to the temple, tearing them to shreds. Gunfire never ceased as the two sides continued to trade fire while another wave of brutes and husks lined up in the cover of the buildings away from the temple.

"So how are we gonna cross this without getting shot? Their are two many of the Reapers forces for us to go unnoticed." Garrus stated.

"Agreed. Commander its suggested we find another route to enter the temple." Legion informed.

"The whole surrounding courtyard is under fire Legion, there is no clear path." Liara stated.

"Arbiter any ideas?" Shepard asked. The elite scanned the area.

"It would be easy if we had several devices for camouflage. Regrettably I only brought my personal one." He replied. Shepard watched as gunfire continued to fly between the two sides. Hundreds of bullets passing through the air constantly.

"Now what?" Garrus asked to no one in particular.

Shepard mused over her options.

"Lithyia were at the choke point. Please respond." Shepard asked through her com. She gave the hand sign for her group to take defensive positions. It took a few minutes and they were set up defensively around the alley waiting for Lithyia to reply.

Shepard was preparing to send another broadcast when the Asari councilor finally responded.

"Shepard! My friend you have arrived in the nick of time. We're beginning to run low on ammunition. Besides that we have dozens of casualties. I hope you can get us out of here. The Reapers haven't let up on us in over an hour." The councilor stated with a small cough escaping her as gunfire sounded out near her.

"Lithyia we cant get to you. We managed to make it to the choke point but the amount of gunfire the Reapers are putting out makes it far to danger to cross considering how large and open the courtyard is." Shepard informed. She could her Lithyia sigh with frustration.

"Shepard I'm no solider. Ill get you Katrina. She's the commanding officer here and she's done a splendid job of keeping a good amount of us alive. Maybe she can help you." Lithyia responded hopefully.

Shepard waited as the councilor took a few minutes to locate Katrina, inform her of the situation, and transfer the comm line over to her.

"This is Lieutenant Katrina of squad _Firebird_. Is this Commander Shepard?" The voice of Katrina was slightly low and unfriendly.

"Yes. Katrina I'm sure Lithyia informed you of our predicament." Shepard asked. Once the Captain confirmed that Lithyia had informed her Shepard continued.

"What can you do for us then lieutenant? We're not of much use so far from you." Shepard stated.

Lieutenant Katrina pondered over Shepard's question for a brief moment.

"Commander I have an idea."

Shepard swore the Asari was grinning.

* * *

**A/N: Well Hey guys! sorry its taken so long to update im pretty sure some of you are upset about that. Anyway see this chapter was supposed much longer but after seeing how long it was going to be I split it into two even possibly three parts. So just hang in there! Next chapter is definitely gonna be wild because I will be introducing a new enemy! Oh and the Master Chief isn't going to be in play for a while now so your still gonna have to wait for him. Anyway please review guys! Thanks again for reading! **


	9. Part I Chapter 7

I have not done a disclaimer and well you know i don't own halo or mass effect. only OCs and plot are my creation.

* * *

**Part I**

**The Voice and Face of all evil**

**Chapter Seven: The Hounds of Evil**

* * *

Shepard steadied her breath as she awaited the lieutenants signal. The commander was crouched next to the wall of a building on the right side of the alley, her rifle at the ready. She had to admit, the Asari's plan, while somewhat impressive, was almost suicide. She muttered something under her breath as she continued to wait. She stared out into the courtyard, watching as the as the Asari and Reaper forces continued to trade fire. She wondered when the lieutenant would set her plan into motion.

Behind Katherine was Legion holding his own rifle at the ready. The Geth almost looked bored as he waited with her. Across the small alley from the two, crouching next to the building on the left side of the alley, was Garrus and Liara. The two were similarly quiet as they waited for the lieutenants signal.

The Arbiter on the other hand was invisible somewhere. Shepard had agreed to his idea of staying invisible when he had suggested it. It would keep him hidden and safe while they crossed the courtyard, and it meant Shepard had an ace up her sleeve for the time being.

Suddenly Shepard noticed the Asari from within the temple, cease fire. Her muscles flexed and her heart pumped adrenaline into her system as she waited.

The Reaper forces continued to open fire but Shepard noticed a significant draw back in it. She figured the Reapers ground forces were confused by the sudden turn of events.

The Commander noticed the Reaper forces beginning to pick up the fire when the Asari Lieutenants plan burst into action.

More than a dozen rockets suddenly flew out from the temples defending forces. The rockets roared forward but instead of impacting the forces on the ground they slammed into the surrounding buildings the Reaper forces where they had set up firing positions. Debris flew out in every direction as the Reaper forces tried to return fire, but their positions to shocked or damaged to return any significant amount of fire.

Before Shepard or the Reapers could act the temples forces opened fire with their regular arms. The brief distraction caused by the rockets gave the defending Asari the opening they needed to cause some serious damage to the Reapers firing positions.

"Now!" Shepard yelled the moment the conventional arms began firing. The Commander and her squad burst into a sprint across the courtyard as the defending temple forces continued to pound the Reapers positions with constant fire.

The plan was simple. The Asari inside the temple were to create a large distraction so the Reaper forces would focus on them rather than Shepard and her team, and what was a better distraction than a lot of explosions and gunfire? So far it seemed to be working as the Reaper forces were desperately trying to reorganize themselves after the surprise attack as well as fire upon the temple.

Katherine was glad that no Reaper ship was around. Their plan wouldn't have worked if that was the case.

The group ran down the courtyard sprinting around fountains, downed shuttles and a few other obstructions as they made their way to the temple. Gunfire echoed throughout the area in such heavy amounts Shepard could barely hear herself think. She heard the distant shrieks of husk and the sound of turret fire.

Shepard was beginning to notice something by the time they were halfway to the temple. She noticed how the fire towards the temple was getting heavier and the temples defenders were starting to slacken their fire. An alarm began to go off in Katherine's mind as she realized what was happening.

The Reapers forces were already pulling themselves back together after the attack and seemed to be pushing the defenders back into cover. Shepard watched as several rockets flew over head her and her team, and slammed into several buildings.

If she didn't know better she would've thought it was a random rocket strike but she knew what the defenders were doing. They had fired the rockets into buildings nearest Shepard and her team. The defenders were trying to buy her and her team more time by distracting the Reaper forces.

The group was closing the distance between them and the temple. The Reaper forces seemed too distracted to notice or care about them. Shepard noticed puffs of dust lifting off the ground and could hear the ping of bullets bouncing off nearby surfaces. She swore under her breath as she realized what was happening.

Suddenly the pinging bullets became even more noticeable as several slammed into Shepard's shields. The Reaper forces seemed to finally notice the Spectre and her team.

"Cover!" Shepard yelled to her team. Non of them questioned her and immediately reacted on instinct. Shepard dove behind a nearby fallen statue. She was still in the air moments from reaching the safety of the statue when she felt a shockwave hit her from behind.

The Spectre flew forward and smacked into the ground as debris from the rocket explosion showered over her. A vicious high pitched ringing plagued her hearing. She shook her head trying to clear it. She could her the voices of her team over her comm but couldn't make out what they were saying. She felt her body ache from the ladning but other than that she felt fine.

Katherine managed to clear her head after another second and got into a crouch leaning on the statue behind her. She was glad the rocket hadn't been any closer.

"Can anyone hear me?" She asked through her com. She peaked over the statue, looking for the shooter of the rocket. She was forced back into cover by a series of bullets raining on her before she could locate the shooter.

"Shepard! Are you alright?" Garrus asked his voice full of concern. Katherine looked around for the turian and saw him about thirty feet away behind a chunk of debris looking over at her.

"Im fine. What happened?" The Commander asked. She drew her sniper rifle and looked over the statue again. She spotted three husks off in the distance and with deadly precision, ended their existence. She ducked back under cover as machine gun fire concentrated back on her.

"Several marauders located us and assaulted us with both rocket launcher along with machine gun fire. We are fortunate you noticed when you did." Legion responded over the com. Shepard glanced over her statue again and located the Geth along with Liara. The two were taking cover behind a large nearby fountain.

Katherine got back behind her cover and looked back towards the temple. It was only around two hundred feet away but that was easily enough time for a rocket or barrage of bullets to tear her team down.

"Lieutenant Katrina we're pinned down about two hundred feet from the temple." Shepard stated over the com.

Static filled her ears for a few seconds before the Asari responded.

"Damn it. The Reapers are picking up fire. I don't have any way to get you here safely." Katrina replied.

Shepard bit her lip, trying to think of a quick solution. She stood up and took out a few more husks before returning to her cover. She reloaded her sniper and let out a quick breath as an idea came to her.

"Liara if we can combine our energy we might be able to create a barrier long enough for us to make it to the temple." The Commander stated over the com.

"Shepard thats going to take a lot out of us." Liara replied.

"Its the only chance we've got."

Liara sighed in agreement.

"So how are we going to do this Shepard?" The Asari asked as she took down three husks.

"Meet me halfway and on my count we throw up a barrier. Garrus, Legion, I need you two to cover us while we make the barrier large enough then get behind us as quick as you can. We only have one shot at this." Shepard stated.

She peaked over her cover. She noticed the marauders firing at her and her squad stop and reload. Several green lances leaped out from thin air. The Commander figured that was the Arbiter trying to help them out as much he could.

"Now!" She yelled.

The Asari and the Spectre dashed towards one another while the turian and the geth opened fire.

Shepard and Liara almost crashed into each other but managed not to. With an unspoken agreement, the two powered up. A blue glow surrounded them and at the same time they threw up a barrier. It was small at first but with a grunt Shepard and Liara poured more of their strength into it causing it grow a good deal larger.

Shepard suddenly felt eyes on her. She thought it was the Arbiter but she wouldn't have felt so unnerved by his gaze. Even with the enemies all around her, her team right next to her, and bullets flying everywhere, she suddenly felt very alone. A dark chill ran over her. She glanced over towards a dark building and into the shadows. She felt something in there a presence, of pure evil.

Reaper bullets slammed into the barrier not five seconds after the two had brought it up. The sudden barrage brought Shepard back to the world and she mumbled to herself never to lose focus like that again. She wondered why she kept doing that.

Dozens of bullets ricocheted off the biotic barrier. Garrus and Legion continued their cover fire for only a second longer, they then dashed over to the others and behind the barrier. A rocket flew towards the group and slammed into the barrier. The force of the rocket caused Shepard to stumble back and Liara to completely fall over. Legion helped Liara up while Garrus stepped out of the barriers protection to unload a burst from his rifle, trying to give the two holding the barrier a brief respite from their attackers.

Slowly the group began their march backwards. Bullets and a few Rockets rained down on the group as more, and more Reaper forces began to notice the small group, the barrier announcing their existence to the world. The barrier provided excellent protection just as Shepard hoped it would. Garrus and Lelgion continued to return fire, trying to lessen the strain from the barrier but their efforts were almost useless. There were just to many Reapers shooting at the group now, and even with allied fire from the temple, the Reapers would soon overwhelm the group.

"Keep going!" Shepard grunted as another Rocket slammed into their barrier. The barrier flickered slightly showing that the twos strength was beginning to fail.

"How much further?" Liara half yelled.

Garrus looked towards the temple and studied the distance before turning back to the team.

"Only about fifty feet." He replied when another rocket slammed into the barrier.

"Shit." Shepard grumbled as she felt herself slid back and the barrier flicker even more.

"We cant keep this up much longer." Liara grumbled.

"No we cant." Shepard said as a barrage of bullets rained down around them causing dust and small chuncks of debris to fly up into the air.

"We're gonna have to make a run for it." Garrus stated.

"On three." Shepard announced.

"One." A rocket exploded next to them.

"Two." Bullets continued to rain down on the group as another rocket was fired at them.

"Three!" The rocket slammed into the barrier, exploded and cause the barrier to fail completely.

The group turned as they made a mad dash for the temple. Shepard could see several Asari giving them what cover fire they could as the group ran towards the temple.

The Commander could here the bullets whizzing by her and heard the explosion of a rocket hitting nearby by. A second later pieces of small debris fell down on her.

The group finally dashed between the pillars of the temple, a ravengers shot barely slipping over Liara's head as they hid behind the pillars, finally in the relative safety of the temple.

"At little to close for comfort." Liara stated. The others agreed with small nods. Shepard looked around the pillars and chucks of debris being used as makeshift covers. Asari were standing and ducking as they traded fire with the Reaper forces. She noticed how many of them were injured and had bandages wrapped around different places yet they were still fighting. She noticed a turret and the Asari that seemed be enjoying the use of the heavy weapon as she tore down husk and marauders, even the occasional brute.

"Commandeer Shepard!" A familiar voice yelled.

Katherine looked through the doors of the temple and saw Lithyia waving them in.

The group made their way inside the temple. The inside of the temple had been transformed into a makeshift headquarters. Various stations were set around, some treating wounds, others for desperate needed rest, a few with ammunition and weapons. Finally in the center of the temple was a large tent with two Asari guarding it.

Seeing them enter, Lithyia ran over to them and pulled Shepard into a great big bear hug. Before the commander could hug back the Asari pulled away.

"Thank you for coming commander." She said in a voice filled with relief.

"No problem Lithyia." Shepard said with a curt nod.

"So where's Katrina? If we want to get out of here alive I need to speak with her." Shepard asked looking around.

"This way." Lithyia replied and took of in a quick walk towards the large tent being guarded.

The Spectre and her group followed the counselor, and after a brief explanation to the guards they made their way inside the tent. Shepard noticed the tent flap hang open just a second to long after the last person had already made their way inside. She smiled to herself knowing only one invisible person, or alien who could still be following them.

Katrina, a small Asari with several scars on her face stood over a map on a table a small light hanging above them. Several other Asari stood around the table and seemed to be discussing something before they all looked up at Shepard and the others interrupting their meeting. Katrina slowly looked up and though her face stayed emotionless, Shepard could see the glint of relief in her eyes as she took in the sight of the great Commander Shepard.

"Commander Shepard." The lieutenant saluted standing up straight at attention. Immediately the other Asari around the table followed suit, realizing who stood before them.

"At ease soldiers. Lieutenant Katrina i presume?" Shepard stated walking over towards the Asari and sticking out a hand. The Asari promptly shook her hand.

"Yes mam." The Asari replied.

"So whats the situation?" Shepard asked already knowing the answer. Katrina sighed and turned back to the map.

"We're running out of ammunition. Most of my troops are either injured or dead and as far as I know you're the only reinforcements we're going to receive. Needless to say we're in a tight spot."

Shepard nodded.

"I need to speak privately with the lieutenant." The Commander stated looking towards the other Asari and her own team.

The other Asari looked amongst each other before looking at Katrina for conformation. The lieutenant nodded to them, and the Asari made their way out, the Normandy team right behind them.

"What is it commander?" Katrina asked eyeing Katherine curiously.

"There is something I need to show you." Shepard stated. She looked around the room searching for any sign of her friend. Hoping he was there Shepard called out to him.

"Arbiter please show yourself to Lieutenant Katrina."

Katrina looked at the commander as if she had gone mad while in the corner of the room, behind Katrina, a large elite suddenly appeared as his camo turned off.

"Commander." The Arbiter stated in his deep voice.

Katrina jumped at his voice and spun around drawing her pistol. She aimed it at the elites head and yelled

"Who are and how did you get in here?!"

"Katrina stand down! He's a friend." Shepard ordered placing a hand on the Asari's shoulder. The Lieutenant glanced back at Shepard and seeing she was serious reluctantly lowered her weapon.

"Lieutenant is everything ok in there?" A guard called from right outside.

"Yes everything's fine." Katrina yelled back. She holstered her pistol and looked the elite up and down.

"What are you? Some sort of mutated Turian I presume?" Katrina stated crossing her arms.

"I am a Sangheli. A proud and powerful race. One that once guided this galaxy alongside the Reclaimers such a long time ago." The Arbiter explained, his voice getting softer as the sentence drew on.

"A what?" Katrina asked with a baffled expression.

"Lieutenant you need to listen. The Arbiter here is a part of a race from over a billion years ago, long before the Reapers or Leviathans. They once fought the parasite that attacked the Citadel and is now spreading throughout the galaxy. They fought it and beat it with the help of a race called the Reclaimers." Shepard stated. She left out the part about the Reclaimers, or UNSC, basically being an ancient humanity. She didn't want it to seem like the humans were trying to grab power while the other council races were under attack.

"So what? As you can see I'm currently preoccupied with a Reaper invasion." Katrina stated her tone becoming sour.

"Katrina underneath the temple is a facility build by a faction the Arbiter here once led. It contains the coordinates for the location of the last Reclaimer and if we don't find him we wont be able to defeat the parasite." Shepard quickly explained.

"So why is he here then?" The lieutenant asked nodding towards the elite.

"Only he knows how to get in the facility." The Asari shook her head at Katherine's response.

"So thats why you're here? Figures. I should've known it was to good to be true when Lithyia told me the great Commander Shepard was coming to save us. Pfft." Katrina stated coldly as she turned back to the map on the table.

"Katrina listen to me. We don't have the resources to fight the flood. They will beat us. Don't ask how I know I just do and this reclaimer seems to be our best and only hope." Katherine said.

"The flood?"

"Another name for the parasite." Shepard explained.

"And you think this Reclaimer will save us?" Katrina asked looking back at the Commander.

"Yes." Shepard said looking at the Arbiter.

"Sounds like a load of crap." Katrina replied with venom lacing her words.

"Thats what everyone said about the Reapers and look how that almost ended." Shepard replied her voice becoming aggressive.

Katrina stayed quiet this time. She bunched up her hands into fists. She debated over what Shepard said. Sure it did seem very sketchy but when everyone thought that about the Reaper they almost destroyed everything. If Shepard was really telling the truth then everything depended on her getting down to that facility.

The Asari sighed as she stood up and faced Shepard.

"Commander your story's really hard to believe but I trust you. You did save us once before and ill be damned if I'm the one who gets the galaxy destroyed. What do you need?" Katrina replied softly. Shepard let a smile form in her mind but kept her face emotionless. She gave the Asari a curt nod.

"Time. Ill leave the others of my squad up here with you and your troops. They can help with fortifying any positions. Also I want them to help get you and your troops out of here in anyway possible. Ill contact the Normandy and get them to assist you with evac and fire support. A few hours should be all we need." Shepard quickly explained.

"Commander we also must reach the lowest point in this facility to reach our destination." The Arbiter suddenly interrupted. The two other looked at him slightly surprised at his sudden statement.

"Why?" Shepard asked.

"You will see once we are down there." The Arbiter replied. Shepard wanted to question him further but decided against it. She was short on time as it was.

Katrina shook her head. She was still disapproving of following this fairytale chase but she didn't really have much of a choice.

"Fine. Ill stay up here and work on getting my people out of here. Commander if your not up here when we're evacing we are leaving you. I'm not risking my peoples lives anymore than needed." Katrina explained. The Spectre nodded in acknowledgment.

"If I'm not back by the time you've evaced take my team with you. They'll be more helpful alive with you than dead with me." The Commander stated. The Asari nodded.

"So whats your plan Commander?"

"Wheres the lowest point in the temple?" Shepard asked.

"Thirty stories down."

* * *

Footsteps echoed through the dark and abandoned halls of the twenty eighth floor down below the surface. Commander Shepard and Thel' Vadam' swiftly walked down the halls.

The halls had been abandoned hours ago when the invasion had started and the mess of a hurried evacuation was obvious. The under ground floors of the temple were large and open, the smooth and sleek design of the Asari showing everywhere. Dim blue emergency lights was all that lit the halls, casting dark and long shadows over the whole place. The air was cold and the silence reigning over the place was unnerving for the Spectre and the elite but neither voiced their discomfort. They had a goal to accomplish.

Commander Shepard stepped over a large pile of glass from some sort of fallen container. She didn't see the piece she stepped on and flinched when she heard the crunch of glass disrupt the calmness of the dark. She noticed something scurry in the dark and passed it off as a rat of some sort. What she didn't noticed was how the shadow of a nearby cart carrying boxes was gone.

The Arbiter ignored the crunch and kept going forcing Katherine to quicken her pace to keep up with him. He had a purple and bulbous weapon out, a long barrel extending out from the middle. It was an upgraded Carbine model. The rounds would now accelerate at four times the speed of their original speed, and the temperature of the plasma rounds had actually been tripled allowing the plasma to melt through almost anything that wasn't shielded. His plasma sword was holstered on his thigh.

Shepard had her M-27 Scrimitar out and ready to go. Despite the relative large size of the halls she still thought it was a good idea to have a shotgun in the closer quarters.

The two continued down the hall, each occasionally glancing around and studying the area around them. Despite being in friendly territory neither was going to let their guard down, both had learned from experience.

Garrus and the others hadn't taken to well to the news that Katherine was going down with the Arbiter and leave them up top to assist with the evac, but she had eventually convinced them, though she figured if it came down to worst her crew would wait for her. They were loyal till they end and she wouldn't trade them for the world.

That still didn't compare to how upset Katrina and Lithyia had been. The two Asari were rather displeased that the commander was leaving them when she was supposed to be helping. Lithyia had been understanding as possible but Katrina, well needless to say she wasn't. Shepard couldn't blame them though she couldn't agree with them either. She trusted the Arbiter but she wasn't going to leave the fate of the galaxy in someone else's hands, even if he was the great leader of the Covenant.

The hallway suddenly came to an end a large single door of an elevator showing the way down to the next level.

The Asari had specifically designed the underground halls this way. One elevator would only lead down to the level below then one would have to walk across the whole floor to reach the next elevator down. It was time consuming but a practical defense measure. It put thirty floors of security and any other Asari between any intruder and the prothean artifacts. As another precaution they had set up intersecting hallways as choke points and rooms were appeared around ready to used as firing positions.

The precautions impressed the Spectre. The Asari had learned.

Shepard walked forward and called the elevator. They could barely here the elevator slowly rise up and watched as the light turned green signaling its arrival.

The doors opened, the two stepped in and the doors closed taking the duo down to the next floor.

"Commander tell me about these Reapers." The Arbiter suddenly asked, breaking the silence between the two.

"Well where do i start..." Shepard replied as the two stepped off the elevator and onto the twenty ninth floor.

As the two walked through the floor they exchanged stories. The Arbiter had seemed impressed by Shepard retelling her adventures with the Normandy and how she allied the galaxy in a time of great trial. He also seemed very interested when it came to biotics but only asked a few questions and eventually stopped asking once Shepard couldn't explain any more to him.

By the time they reached the next elevator the Arbiter had told his own share of stories though an abbreviated version of them all. He had enough war tales to spend a week listening, and Shepard told herself that one day she needed to hear all of them.

Katherine was very impressed by the man called the Master Chief or Demon by the elites and Covenant. She was baffled how one man was capable of so much, destroying a weapon called a halo, defeating the flood and Covenant, defeating the Didact, going on a galaxy wide search for his friend the AI. Of course most of this was only brief details as the Arbiter didn't know everything that had happened just the basic stories. She noticed however how the Arbiter never mentioned what happened to him though.

The Commander was intrigued how the Arbiter had allied the elites and basically saved humanity and how he eventually reformed the Covenant alongside the UNSC when they began to colonize other galaxies.

She was even more impressed when she learned of their extensive technology and how it made Mass Relay travel and all other technology she knew seem obsolete especially their ability to devolve sentient species and to alter memories and thoughts.

The Commander was completely baffled how at the peak of their power the two alliances controlled over five thousand galaxies and over thirty million different intelligent species were under their protection or had allied themselves with the two superpowers.

By the time they made it to the last floor the Arbiter had reached the climax of his stories. The final war between the Covenant, UNSC and the flood. He started his troy in a dark tone and the two had gone maybe fifty feet into the last level, fifty feet into the main hall with two corridors on either side of them, when suddenly he stopped dead in his tracks and his body froze.

The Arbiter studied the area around him. A chill had run down his spine and a sixth sense was warning him of something dangerous around them. He checked his motion sensor but found nothing out of the ordinary.

"What is it?" Shepard asked as she too studied the area around them.

"Something is not right." The Arbiter replied still looking around. He was about to let his guard down when he noticed movement to Katherine's left.

"Commander down!" The elite yelled at full volume.

The Spectre didn't hesitate and immediately fell o the ground. A dark shadow flew over her and slammed into the Arbiter, missing it s target.

The elite grunted as he hit the floor and his upgraded carbine clattered to the ground away from him. He looked a the beast on top of him. He could see pure red eyes, felt claws scrapping against his metal armor despite his shielding, and could see the snout and ears of a human dog on the creatures face. He placed his feet under the beast and using his powerful legs managed to throw the beast off of him.

The dog slammed into a wall with a yelp and fell to the floor. It scrambled to its feet and let out a snarl as the Arbiter too got to his feet. The elite noticed the beast literally resembled a large dog with pure black fur except that a black substance dripped form its mouth and the beast had a horrid odor to it. It eyes were a glowing red.

The Arbiter drew his sword and took a fighting stance, ready to end the beasts life.

Shepard was already on her feet and stared at the black wolf in wonder. It was to large for a dog and maybe even a wolf but she had no idea what else to call it. However she had seen those eyes before.

She watched as the Arbiter drew his sword and aimed her shotgun when she heard something running behind her.

She spun around and saw another wolf running straight for her out of the shadows. She opened fire and felt relief swell in her chest when she knew both shots would hit the wolf dead on. At this close of a range the wolf would become shredded meat.

It took her by complete and utter surprise when that didn't happened. Inches form being hit the dog suddenly seemed to transform in a black smoke, form its head first all the way down to its tail. The smoke trails bypassed the bullets and before Katherine bullets had even hit the floor the smoke snaked behind her. Her bullets dug themselves into the floor with a loud ping ad the smoke reformed behind her into the wolf.

The wolf snarled and jumped onto Shepard completely tumbling her over. Her shotgun flew form her hands. Fortunately however, the beast had misjudged her light weight and the hound fell forward over her.

Katherine wasted no time and pulled herself up. She blasted a biotic throw at the wolf, and was satisfied when the wolf failed to dodge it, getting thrown against a wall of the main hallway.

The Commander quickly scrambled to her feet and drew her sub machine gun. This time she heard the patter of another wolf approaching from behind her. She spun around into a crouch and opened fire.

She was correct in her assumption and several of her bullets impacted the black wolf as it charged at her form out of the darkness of a corridor.

The creature shrugged off her bullets and to avoid any more injury, like its brethren, it transformed into a screen of black smoke. The screen of smoke split into two and shot towards Shepard from either side.

Shepard was quick to react and immediately rolled under the two streams of smoke. The smoke streams collided right where Shepard would have been and together they reformed the wolf which landed on the ground, turning its head to look back at Shepard.

The Spectre was now separated from the Arbiter, the two wolves now between her and him as well as the wolf the elite was till currently engaged with.

The two beasts in front of her, the one she first engaged already back on its feet, moved towards her both of their mouths opened and a black bile falling from there lips.

Shepard noticed how the bile sizzled when it touched the metal floor. It would then move and literally join the dark shadows anywhere nearby. For some reason she shivered slightly. She knew then these beasts were something else entirely.

The closer wolf suddenly charged the Commander. Shepard powered up her omni blade and fired a burst from her weapon. The beast slyly dodged the attack, leaped up towards one of the side walls, kicked off the wall and towards Shepard.

The Spectre swung at the beast. The wolf again turned into black smoke, Katherine's omni blade passing harmlessly through it. Before Shepard had even brought her arm down the smoke whirled around her, wrapping around her extended arm, and formed back into a solid tentacle of black bile coming out of the wall. The wall was pure black and the metal seemed to be sagging from the black covering it.

With a mighty heave the tentacle flipped Shepard over causing her to land hard on her face with a sickening crunch.

Blood drained out form the Spectre's nose but she quickly brushed off the pain and tears, trying to stand back to her feet. The tentacle above her broke apart into smoke then reformed into a wolf. The wolf stood onto of Shepard and with a snarl sank its teeth into the woman's shoulder.

The teeth sunk through the armor like a hit knife through butter. Her shields didn't even register the attack and a barrier would've done nothing to stop the attack either. Shepard yelped in pain as the teeth sunk down into her flesh. She swore she could've felt a canine scrap against the bone.

The pain was unbearable but the wolf wasn't finished yet. It backed up and with a twist of its neck and unnatural strength sent the Commander flying back towards the other wolf.

While in midair the other wolf charged at the commander and with its front legs, claws fully extended, it basically closed lined Katherine.

The Spectre coughed after she hit the ground. The blow had been strong enough to knock the air out of her. She was getting sick of that happening. She heard the wolf land behind her and knew it was only a matter of seconds before they sunk their teeth back into her.

Rather than trying to get to her feet, the Commander simply rolled over, saving her a second or two. Her weapon still in hand, she quickly activated her armor piercing rounds and fired. The rounds slammed into the nearest wolf and with a yelp the beast jerked backwards. However, it didn't die. It simply transformed into smoke and disappeared. Literally the smoke flew into the wall and vanished.

Stuck in a state of shock Shepard just stared at the wall but the movement of the second wolf drew her back into her surroundings.

The wolf lunged for Shepard. The Spectre fired again and again the wolf turned into smoke, the wisps trailing behind her, just like she expected it would. The moment the wolf reformed she let lose a pure biotic blast. Violently, the wolf was sent backwards into the wolf. Sickening cracks could be heard as its bones shattered from the force of the blast.

Katherine raised her weapon and let lose the whole clip. The wolf yelped in pain and tried to get to its feet as Shepard let loose a warp biotic. The biotic attack slammed into the beast and began to tear it apart. The wolf suddenly stopped struggling and stared at the woman. It suddenly split apart into something Shepard could only describe as someones nightmare. The body split apart transforming into something that looked like the leaves of a Venus fly trap. Bile flew from the beasts mouth, or whatever it was and onto the Spectre's armor. Her shoulder armor immediately began to dissolve and Shepard hurriedly tried to rip the pice of armor off.

Tentacles shot out towards the Spectre, wrapping around her body like vines would on a tree.

One wrapped around her neck and began to choke her. Drawing her omni blade, Katherine used the blade to slice the tentacles off of her. The tentacles stayed solid, and feel the floor wriggling before disintegrating.

She focused back on the monstrosity before her and set lose a cryo freeze. The freeze did its job and the thing froze in place. Quickly picking up her fallen shotgun, Shepard blasted the ice at close to point blank range, shattering the frozen creature. The pieces scattered to the floor and instead of melting they just disintegrated.

Silently from behind her dark rope like items suddenly lunged out of the wall and wrapped around Shepard. Two wrapped around her left arm and snapped it like a twig.

Katherine screamed and was pulled to the wall by the ropes, dropping her shotgun once again. They tightened against her, plastering her against the metal wall. Across from her, out of the other wall, a pool of dark black liquid pooled onto the floor. A huge snake head slithered out form the pool, the pure glowing red eyes, it opened its mouth and moved closer to Shepard.

The fangs were easily as large as her head and the razor sharp teeth behind looked painful. As Shepard stared into the mouth of her death she realized something. A rope was tied around her wrist right where she could activate her right omni blade. She activated the orange blade which ripped straight through the rope and using a great amount of her remaining strength, drove the blade through the creatures head.

The snake shrieked in pain and drew its head back, splitting it in half. The torn head disappeared into the pool of liquid and the ropes released the commander, the liquid then seeping back into the floor.

Shepard dropped back to the floor and yelped immediately bringing her left arm up. It was horribly broken. She groaned and got back to her feet. She looked over to the Arbiter and watched him decapitate the wolf he was fighting. The head rolled to the floor and disintegrated along with the rest of the body.

The Spectre was about to call over to him when tentacles launched out of one of th shadowy corridors and wrapped around her once again. They slammed her to the floor with a sickening crack. Shepard felt several ribs snap.

The Arbiter called out to her and charged toward her. Suddenly a dark pull formed beneath his feet and several ropes flew out wrapping around the elite and pulling him down. The ropes couldn't pull him flat against the ground but they managed to hold him in place. The Arbiter actually struggled using all his strength to pull at the ropes. He began to twist his arm trying to cut at them with his energy sword.

Between the two, wisps of smoke flew out form the walls and formed a smaller wolf. It walked over to Shepard slowly and surely, savoring the moment. Shepard struggled but it was pointless. She was hurt, bloody from her nose, and tired from having to use so many biotic abilities to beat just one of the wolves.

The wolf placed one of its feet on her head and pushed it against the ground. With a horrid snarl the beast sank it teeth into the Spectre's broken arm.

Katherine let loose a scream as she felt her bones shattered underneath the teeth, the teeth sinking in deep through the muscle. She felt the blood beginning to seep out despite the wolfs teeth still imbedded in her arm.

Suddenly a large scaly hand wrapped around the wolfs neck. The Wolf released Shepard and tried to turn and bite whoever had grabbed it. Before it had the chance however the Arbiter sent the beast flying. He roared and drew another one of his energy swords.

The skin on the wolf began to bubble. The wolf stood up on two legs and transformed into another beast entirely. Its forms was that of an ancient samurai. Except everything was jet black and its eyes were still a glowing red color.

The samurai drew two swords and stood in a fighting stance. The Arbiter grinned and the two began to circle each other.

Shepard rolled onto her side staring at the two and holding her severely damaged arm. She could feel the aches of her ribs as she breathed.

She watched as the two suddenly charged each other.

The Arbiter struck towards the samurais legs. The samurai blocked it with his sword which surprised Shepard considering the heat of the elites sword. The Arbiter drew his sword back to him and the samurai struck at him with a downwards left slash. The Arbiter raised his sword and easily blocked the blow. He quickly spun around and struck at the samurais left side which was blocked again.

The two continued to trade blows in a dance like state, one would hit, the other blocked. As Shepard watched she noticed how none of the blows were delivered with heavy force. The two combatants were striking at each other but she could she each was saving their full strength for the killing blow and that all depended on who screwed up first.

Only seconds after she thought that the samurai made a fatal mistake. He lunged towards the Arbiter, just an inch too much, and that gave the elite the opening he needed.

The Arbiter side stepped the samurai and using the side of his armored arm, he bashed the back of the dark samurais head. The warrior went tumbling to the ground. The Arbiter spun over the Samuria's body and raised his sword, then swiftly brought it down with all the force he could muster.

However, the dark samurai wasn't finished just yet. It split apart as the energy sword sunk into the metal floor. Tentacles shot out from the creature and wrapped around the Arbiter this time managing to force him to the ground due to his stance.

The tentacles separated and stuck themselves to the floor as the elite struggled to get free. The rest of the samurai turned to smoke and flew behind the elite. It reformed and placed its sword on the elites neck preparing to deliver a finishing blow.

Shepard had only a second to react as the samurai brought up his swords. She raised her good arm and prepared to fire a cryo blast when the samurai turned to her and suddenly threw his sword at her. The sword imbedded itself into her good arms shoulder, completely ignoring the armor and shields, and stuck out the other side. Shepard yelped as the warrior drew another sword and raised this one as it now focused back on the elite.

With excruciating pain, with blood seeping out, with shattered bones, the commander raised her bad arm and let loose the cryo blast as the samurai brought his sword down.

Only an inch from the elites neck, the samurai turned to ice and froze in place.

With a roar the Arbiter broke free of the tentacles and got to his feet. He turned around and looked at the now frozen warrior. He slowly picked up his energy sword, which had fallen out of his hand when he had freed himself, and powered it up. He reeled his arm back and thrusted the sword into the beasts head.

Instantly the beast shattered and disintegrated. The Arbiter dropped his arms and let out a heavy sigh.

Katherine leaned back against the wall and let out a sigh of relief.

_What the hell..._ She thought to herself, letting out a pained sigh.

* * *

_The hounds have failed..._

_Kill her!_

_She must die!_

_We will not fail again!_

_Silence!_

_I will deal with her personally._

_She beat you once before and she will do it again. This hero cannot defeat you just as before._

_She will not._

_If you fail..._

_You shall be disgraced._

_It matters not he will be dead then._

_May i kille her then?_

_Do as you please._

_When your monuments and sins fail do not ask for help._

_I need no help from you._

_Enough. You two are to work togetehr to destroy her then none can win._

_Why?_

_She defeated you once and you the solider can beat. Together however you can beat her. _

_Then we shall._

_Yes we will._

_Good. Finish the great Commander Shepard before she causes our plans more trouble. _

_What of the knight?_

_He has only discovered his armor he is if of no worry._

_Good. Now go and destroy her._

_With pleasure._

* * *

**Hey guys! Now before I get killed for Shepard being able to kill those creatures better its only because o her biotics. Physically the Arbiter was far more capable as without biotics he basically beat two on his own. Also sorry if the whole temple thing kinda sucked i did my best. Oh well. So yeah. Anyway please Review guys! Thanks for reading and god bless! **

**Oh also if this story breaks a hundred review with this chapter ill post two chapter next time i update! so yeah!**


	10. Part I Chapter 8

**Part I**

**The Voice and Face of all Evil**

**Chapter 8: Who is the rest?**

* * *

"So what the hell was that?" Shepard voiced out loud. She grunted in pain as she straightened herself against the wall.

"I have never seen such monstrosities." The Arbiter replied sitting down next to her.

"Well, I hope we never see them again cause they sure pack a punch." Shepard groaned as she tried to straighten out her broken arm. Her armor opened up as the Spectre began to apply medigel. She finished with her arm, letting the armor close back up then moved to her shoulder which was bleeding a lot heavier than her arm.

"What is that?" The elite asked.

"Medigel. Works wonders." Katherine replied as her armor closed back over her wounded shoulder, the medigel already working on the gashes her arm had received.

"Are you sure you can continue Commander?" The Arbiter asked. Katherine couldn't tell if he genuinely cared about her condition or was just asking because she would slow him down.

"I'll live." The Commander grunted as she used her good arm to push herself up of tthe floor. It took a little longer than it should have and she looked goofy doing it, but the Commander managed to get to her feet.

"We should continue. In case any more of those... things show up." Shepard stated.

"Agreed." The Arbiter stated. He quickly walked away from to pick up his carbine and her shotgun, before returning to her. He handed her the shotgun which she placed on her back, preferring to use a submachine gun since she only had one good arm.

Finally the two started off again. The rest of the walk was silent as the two warriors made their way through the hall. AS they walked Shepard could tell the Arbiter was injured. He had the slightest limp and kept flexing his right hand as if to make sure it still worked. She wondered why he didn't say anything. She figured it was pride since she would've never let him known about her injuries but they were pretty obvious considering how much bleeding she had done.

"Shepard stop." The Arbiter suddenly stated. The Commander stopped in her tracks and looked at the elite with a confused expression. She didn't notice how he had been glancing at his wrist since they had started their walk and when she finally saw it she noticed a blue holographic panel on the display. It reminded her of an omni tool. She was about to condemn herself again for not being vigilant enough when a wave of dizziness hit her. She stumbled back causing the Arbiter to react and catch her before she fell.

"Thanks." Shepard managed as she tried to steady herself. She looked at towards her shoulder and noticed how the bleeding was beginning to increase in flow. She didn't have a long time before she fell unconscious or bleed to death.

"Lets just get this over with. Where is this facility?" She asked slightly agitated at the turn of events. She hated being injured, mostly because it hampered her ability to do anything of use.

"Its one thousand feet below us." The Arbiter stated. Shepard looked over at him.

"And how are we supposed to get down there?" Shepard asked slightly annoyed that she hadn't known this earlier.

The Arbiter didn't respond. He pulled out a small circle from the armor on his thigh. He placed it on the ground, pressed a few holographic commands on the circle then backed away. The Spectre was ready to ask him what he was doing when a stream of light poured out from the device. It formed a solid diamond shape above the circle and just floated there.

Shepard raised an eyebrow as she looked back at the Arbiter.

"This will take us down there." The elite stated.

"What is it?" The Commander asked.

"A teleporter. One of reclaimer design. It will transport us down there to the receiving teleporter." The Arbiter stated.

"Why didn't we just use this when we we're up top? We could've avoided the whole demon dog confrontation." Shepard asked slightly upset though she kept her voice and face emotionless.

"Your structures and technology are different from ours. There's no telling what could've happened if we had tried to transport ourselves through all of this structure." The Arbiter motioned to the walls around them.

"Your technology could've hampered or even disrupted the process which could've killed us or worse." The Arbiter simply stated. Shepard nodded in acknowledgment.

"Thats why we came down here. Its the least interference from our technology." Shepard stated. The Arbiter nodded and stepped into the teleporter. He disappeared with a flash, leaving Shepard alone.

"Great." She replied. She walked forward and stepped through the teleporter.

With a flash she disappeared from existence, her very molecules separating.

Katherine fell to the floor in heap. Her head was spinning and she felt ready to hurl up everything she had eaten for the past weak and a half.

She looked up and saw the Arbiter a few feet in front of her staring down at her with an amused look.

"Teleportation is unpleasant for those not used to it." The elite said walking over to her.

"Tell me about it." Shepard replied as she tried to get to her feet. With some help from the Arbiter she managed to get to her feet. She looked around her. The structure she was inside had a very bulbous and circular layout, which she then concluded they were in a hallway of sorts. A purple tint coated the metal making up the structure. A few luminous lights hung over head and the Spectre could see a what she figured was a door not far from them, two red large lights glowing from the door.

The Arbiter walked away from her and towards the door. A part of the wall next to the door slide up and revealed a small holographic panel. The panel slid out and extended itself to its full length. As Katherine approached she could tell how the panel had been designed for Elite usage.

The Arbiter typed in a few commands and the panel scanned his hand print before sliding back into the wall. The wall slide back over the panel, concealing it form the naked eye once more and the lights on the door turned green.

The elite motioned for the Spectre to follow him and walked into the room beyond. Shepard followed inside and the doors slid shut behind her.

The Commander gawked at the room in front of her. Dozens of holographic computers laid around the room. In the center a huge holographic display. She noticed how the room was void of everything but one chair.

"What is this place?" She asked walking up next to the elite whom was typing away at a smaller computer off to the side.

"It was my personal storage. I recorded and stored everything in here. Many being dangerous secrets that if had fallen into the wrong hands would've meant war and death. Something my people have seen to much of." The Arbiter stated. He backed up from the computer and touched the screen. He pulled the information off the screen and dragged the hologram up to the larger holographic screen in the front. He released the information and the information expanded upon the larger screen giving the two a better view of it.

"Whoa." Shepard stated. She saw how the info expanded and revealed what looked like system of a hundred stars but after a few moments of studying she realized they weren't stars.

"Are... Are those... Galaxies?" Shepard asked walking up closer to the screen. The Arbiter whom had backed away from the screen to study it from afar looked over at the Commander with an amused grin.

"Yes,. Section 1 to be exact. The section your Galaxy is located." The Arbiter stated walking over to her. He reached up to the screen and zoomed in on the Milky way galaxy leaving Shepard speechless.

"How many sections are there?" Shepard asked trying to regain her calm composure.

"There were four hundred and twenty two sections each containing a hundred galaxies."

"And you controlled all of them?" The commander asked.

"No. The New Covenant shared control of sections one through two hundred with the Reclaimers. But sections two hundred to two fifty were under our control only while the reclaimers controlled only sections two fifty to three hundred."

"What about the other sections?"

"They were not under any official control though they had major political parties. They were more freelance Galaxies whom we were still in negotiations with. The party in power over these sections were called the Dauntless. They were brave a faction whom considered us tyrants. Maybe they were correct." The Arbiter stated. He seemed to drift off into deep thought for a brief moment before returning to the present.

"So how were you all beaten?" Shepard asked returning to their conversation from earlier. They had been interrupted by the shadow creatures while the Arbiter was in the middle of his story of the war for the universe. The Elite visible sulked and glanced at the floor briefly.

"As I said earlier the climax of the war was the battle for the Galaxy called Allegiant. The Flood had been fighting us but we had managed to bring them to a stale mate. However that didn't last. Something happened to the Dauntless. The Gravemind invaded their minds and turned them against us somehow. I will never forget the evil in their red eyes as they turned on us and destroyed Allegiant. Anyway that left only the Reclaimers and The Covenant to defend the galaxies against the parasite. We could not hold them off forever..."

"Wait you said the dauntless's eyes turned red?" Shepard asked suddenly. The Arbiter gave her a quzzical look before answering.

"Yes but.."

"Were they a pure red? And when they turned did everything seem cold? As if everything had frozen over." Shepard asked her heart begining to race.

"Yes."

Shepard took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Thats happened to me. Ive seen those types of red eyes and everything was cold."

"Where? When?" The Arbiter asked getting closer to her, his senses suddenly on alert.

"Well it was in a dream... These things talked to me and... Never mind its probably just a coincidence." Shepard stated looking back up at the screen.

"In my lifetime Commander I've learned there are no coincidences. Whatever it was we must look into it but for now let us focus on the mission at hand." The Arbiter stated which Shepard wholly agreed to. Was she really starting to dreams seriously? She shook her head and had to resist the urge to laugh at her own thoughts.

The Arbiter typed in a few commands on a holographic keypad and the screen shifted away from the Milky Way, and over the darkness between galaxies. Something fluttered within Shepard. As if something clicked and hope had been restored within her.

"This is where the last reclaimer lies." The Arbiter stated looking over at the Commander.

"In between the galaxies. In the darkness of space."

* * *

The two warriors made their way through the back door of the temple interior, and back into the ground floor of the temple where the temporary command post of Katrinas had been set up. The Arbiter had stored all information regarding the Reclaimer and his own past into a portable hardrive now attached to his thigh armor.

Katherine had no idea how long it had taken them to get down there and up but she felt like it had taken days. She figured it was because she was injured and the constant dizziness spells were really starting to take a toll on her. She needed to get some medical treatment soon or she would bleed out.

When she looked up, about to call out for Garrus or Liara, she froze in her place just as the Arbiter did. No one was there. The whole temple was abandoned. The center tent was still there but everything else was gone. They had actually left them. She honestly had never expected them to, but they had.

Now her and the Arbiter were stuck on this planet with the Reapers bound to find them. They were stuck here with the only information that could save her galaxy.

"They left." The Arbiter stated walking towards the tent to make sure it really was empty.

Shepard raised her omni tool and sent out a call to the Normandy. It didn't answer. That was bad. Very bad. Either the Normandy was out of the system and out of her reach or the Reapers had destroyed her ship. Either one was bad. She walked towards the doors of the temple and walked outside. She squinted as the sun of Thessia glared down on her. She could see the plumes of smoke raising in the distance and the sounds of distant gun fire. Maybe hope wasn't all lost. If they could just find their way to another evac sight then they could still get off this planet.

Shepard opened her mouth to call for the Arbiter when another wave of dizziness hit her. Stumbled forward and wrapped her arms onto a nearby pillar. The pillar kept her steady as the wave finished its run when she heard footsteps behind her.

"Commander." The Arbiter stated walking over to her.

Katherine straightened her posture and turned to face the Arbiter. He was holding something strange in his hand. However, before either could speak a large and deafening boom filled the air. Shepard flinched slightly and spun around.

She watched as a Reaper destroyer landed in the courtyard of the temple. She stepped forward a little as if defying the Reapers presence, The Arbiter a few steps behind her.

Several more booms sounded out and four more Reaper ships landed around the first. Two behind it the other two on either side of the first Reaper.

Five Reapers stood before her in the courtyard of the temple.

"Well well... If it isn't Commander Shepard." A sinister voice called out from the lead Reaper.

"You..." Katherine hissed once she heard the voice. She knew that voice on instinct.

"Ah yes me. The Catalyst. The bane of your existence." The voice stated. The Reaper boomed as if to cheer at the Catalysts statement.

The Arbiter watched the display with squinted eyes. He already knew who the Catalyst was form Shepard earlier stories.

"What does he want..." The Arbiter muttered to himself, however the Spectre still heard him.

"What do you want Catalyst?" The Commander hissed shifting her posture slightly.

"Me? Nothing. The rest? They want you dead."

"And who are the rest?"

"Oh Shepard still trying to hard to figure out what is going on. You'll be long dead before you ever find out."

"What do you mean whats going on?" Shepard asked a confused look spreading on her face.

The Catalyst hesitated to speak. He hadn't realized Shepard didn't have a clue what was going on and he had just unintentionally told her something bigger than what she knew was actually happening.

"Never mind Shepard. I have business to attend to."

"Not before you answer our questions Demon." The Arbiter stated walking forward.

"And who is this?" The Catalyst asked suddenly intrigued. He wondered who this was.

"He is one of flesh and faith..." A deep voice announced. A green mist began to swim around and covered the whole courtyard, and the sun seemed to dim in its brightness.

"You..." The Arbiter hissed drawing an energy sword. The blade hissed to life.

"Yes. It is I. The bane of your existence proud warrior!" The voice roared, its voice far more menacing than the Catalysts.

"Enough of this. Lets finish them." The Catalyst stated.

"With pleasure." The voice added. Large decaying tentacles swirled out of the green mist and began to crawl forward.

_Did I not tell you they would betray you? Now you will die and your people will never come back for you..._ A voice whispered into Katherine's mind. The shadows swirled around and slipped from behind Shepard and began to slip up her body.

"Now fall great commander..."

The red beam of the lead Reaper began to charge and Shepard released her breath, preparing for the inevitable. The Arbiter raised his sword anticipating the oncoming attack.

Suddenly a large purple beam shot down from the sky and hit the lead Reaper. The Reaper sulked and crumbled down, the beam blasting right through it.

"What is this?" The Catalyst roared in anger. The lead Reaper went up in an explosion of great magnitude causing Shepard to raise her hand to block all the dust headed for her.

"hmmm... Till next time warrior." The deeper voice stated and the green mist retreated along with tentacles till both were none existent.

The four remaining reapers looked up to the sky and three let loose their main weapons, their red weapons lacing into the sky.

You fools... The voice in Shepard head cursed. She wondered who too since it obviously wasn't aimed at her. Suddenly the presence retreated from her mind and the suns full brightness shone onto her.

Two blasts of purple slammed into the two front Reapers, obliterating both with just a single shot. The bodies of the Reapers groaned and fell forward in a million pieces.

Shepard and the Arbiter exchanged a glance, both wondering what was happening.

The other two Reapers didn't bother staying a with massive blasts from their engines shot off into the sky. Shepard walked forward a bit a stared up into the sky where the two purple blasts had come from.

Five sleek and bulbous ships lowered themselves down towards the ground. The Arbiter grinned realizing whom it was.

"What? You didn't think we'd actually leave you Shepard?" Garrus's voice called out over the com.

Shepard smiled at his voice.

"Took you long enough." She replied trying to sound angry, though her true happiness shined through.

"Had a few delays." Liara chipped in.

Shepard grinned but felt a question poking at her mind. Something the Catalyst had said unnerved her for some reason.

_Just who was the rest?_

* * *

A figure moved through the sleek metal halls with light blue lines of light lining the halls as the female went.

She was graceful and her stride just glowed with the power she held, with the strength she had. The doors at the end of the hall slide open for her and she made her way through them.

A viewport of a delicate and graceful design was where she now stood. She looked out over the millions of stars coating the Universe.

"Have we located any yet?" She asked. A hologram flickered to life. It was in the form of one of her knights.

"Yes. The fifth. She is currently within the..." A red light flickered on.

"Its seems one of them has entered our realm..."

"Yes."

"Begin to scan for his location. Also keep an eye on her. We will need her alive to succeed. If she needs help you are to give."

"Mam." With that the hologram flickered off and the woman stared out the window.

_How beautiful the universe was yet it held such deadly secrets. _

* * *

**A/N So hey guys! Alright umm don't know what to say i hope this was done well... If theres any questions feel free to review/PM me. So thanks for reading! Review! God Bless! **

**Oh also I thought the teleporting thing was justified since ME and Halo use different means of technology and well if something as delicate as teleporting was done around such foreign technology i figured it could have unfavorable consequences. So yeah.**


	11. Part I Chapter 9

**Part I **

**The Voice and Face of all Evil.**

**Chapter 9: An injured Shepard**

* * *

Commander Katherine Shepard stepped through the sleek doors and onto the bridge of the Covenant super carrier _The Light of Intent. _

Her wounds had been treated, but despite what everyone telling her to rest, she headed up to the bridge. She needed to see who was in charge and why exactly had the Covenant had suddenly come to their aid.

Garrus, Liara and The Arbiter followed behind her, each just as curious as she was.

As they entered the bridge, a familiar elite, in pristine white armor, was standing towards the front of the bridge as he watched his fleet combat the Reaper forces. Suddenly he turned towards them.

"Being the head of the Council allows me certain... Privileges." Thran simply explained with a curt nod as greeting.

"These men will follow me to the death." Thran said turning back to the screen, intently watching the small battle at hand.

"Unfortunately for my actions we cannot return back to our home in the fear that we might be followed, but we will help you in any way possible Commander Shepard. I feel that you need us more than our home does." Thran humbly stated.

"Why did you come?" Shepard asked. She was grateful but still curious. Why would this elite, even if he was a leader, disregard the concerns of his fellow generals and take a fleet to help someone he barely knew.

"Because you need our help Commander. The Covenant, My people, will not stand by idly as the parasite destroys another Galaxy."

Shepard blinked as she took in his words. She couldn't express how grateful she was. She stepped forward to thank him but suddenly a wave of cloudy vision and dizziness fell over her. She stumbled forward and felt two large hands steady her.

Her side and arm throbbed as blood slowly seeped out of the wounds. She was far to injured still to be milling about, but she was stubborn. sometimes to stubborn.

She turned around and was barely able to make out the Arbiter's face.

The elite lifted her back to her feet with ease and steadied her.

Thran and the other were staring at her with concerned looks.

"I believe the Commander needs medical attention." Thran stated.

"Yes, she does." Garrus instantly agreed and swiftly moved towards her. The Commadner however didn't even hear them. Her vision was blacking out and all she could do was focus her breathing and staying conscious.

"Is the medical bay running?" The Arbiter asked looking over at the younger elite. Thran nodded.

"Good." With practiced ease the elite lifted her off her feet and into his arms. Quickly the elite made his way out of the bridge, his jog light and graceful as he hurried to get the commander to the medical bay.

The last thing the Commander heard wasn't the Arbiter voice, the pounding of her heart, the reassuring voices of her friends. No what she heard was a sweet feminine voice full of compassion.

Save him... Was all it said and finally blackness engulfed her.

* * *

Shepard awoke with a gasp and shot up in her bed. She quickly looked around her room, surveying everything and once she finally determined nothing was wrong she relaxed a bit.

She felt the dull pain from her injuries and groaned slightly. She was getting tired of getting injured. She belittled herself for performing so badly in battle and promised herself to do better.

Slowly the Commander peeled the sheets off her and got out of bed with a great amount of effort.

Her body screamed with pain as she stood. She gasped and spent a few minutes catching her breath.

After the pain had finally subsided she slowly made her way towards her little office in the cabin. She opened her mail and looked for anything interesting.

After nothing came up she sighed.

"EDI?" She called out softly, her soft voice cracking slightly.

"Yes Shepard?" The AI replied.

"Where are we currently?" Shepard asked. She wanted to go to the bridge and find out for herself but she was too tired.

"We are currently in Earths orbit mam."

Shepard froze and her breath caught in her throat. Her mind was racing and her heart pounding.

"Are we still docked within the Covenant ship?"

"Yes Commander."

Shepard's face paled. Why had they dared to enter Alliance space with her out of commission while onboard an alien vessel. No one had cleared it! The Alliance could've attacked the Covenant and started a whole new war. A grim feeling fell over her and she mentally prepared to run off and find Thran. She need to give him a piece of her mind for just entering human space without clearance.

"Shepard, Garrus also told me to tell you once you woke up that he got it cleared with Admiral Hackett for the Covenant to retreat into Alliance territory. The battle was getting worse and despite their formidable ships the Covenant was greatly outnumbered. The did a slip space jump and got us out of their. Thessia is lost however. The Asari's population has halved and they are currently residing with Alliance territory till a plan can be laid out for their resettlement." EDI stated.

Shepard let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. She had forgotten about Garrus and the others. They had enough experience with strange and tough situations that she knew it would've been easy for Garrus to get the Covenant ships cleared for entering human space.

However, she felt a wave of grief fall over her. It was the second time the Asari had lost their home in only ten years. She could only imagine how she would feel if Earth fell again.

"Mam Admiral Hackett, Fleet Master Thran and Garrus are waiting for you in the war room. The Admiral wants to know whats been going on." EDI informed.

Shepard sighed. She felt a headache already forming as she thought about explaining everything to the Admiral and more than likely the Council.

"Its going to be long day..." She muttered.

"Seems like it mam."

"Not helping EDI..."

* * *

**A/N I am so sorry for keeping you all waiting for so long! I've been beyond busy and my brain is ready to burst thanks to College. I will try to update more often and hence this is my new offer... **

**I will try to offer at least a few times a week but! The chapter will be short like this one. Between 1000 and 3000 words rather than the 8000 to 10000 I've been updating. **

**So whatever the majority votes for I'll do.**

**Also sorry if this chapter was disappointing but I felt like you guys deserved something to let you know this fic isn't dead and I needed to update you about this new option IM thinking about. Anyway thanks for staying loyal to this fic! Thanks for reading! God bless! have a great day!**


End file.
